Miracle at the Wright Anything Agency
by risenfromash
Summary: Suggested by Miracle on 34th Street. The Ace Attorney crowd struggle to prove the existence of Santa Claus while carrying on the usual holiday antics of present buying and hanging out by the mistletoe.  Not my usual pairings- be surprised. Romance/humor
1. Prologue Magic in the Air

**Risenfromash: ** It is hard for me to believe that it has been less than a year since I joined the fanfic community and harder still to realize that this means it is now time for me to come out of the closet as a total and complete Christmas geek. I listen to Christmas music constantly, I've been known to cry tears of joy when watching Frosty the Snowman return to live, and yes I know the names of all Santa's reindeer plus several featured in less canon stories than Clement Moore's original "Twas the Night Before Christmas." (Oh, God, I am such a dork!)

So, while this story was not my idea once the seed was planted there, it took root and wouldn't allow me to ignore it. I guess my fav characters want to have a little holiday fun, too and the Miracle that transpires isn't one I would have thought of in a million years had it not been for the characters seeming to push me in that direction, which is why you will find this story has a very different tone than many of my other stories. While it is still light-hearted and many of the caricatures are written similarly the relationships between them are drastically different and it does not feature many of the pairings I usually ship. Blasphemy, I know! That's why this story is NOT part of my big post Apollo Justice story arc, though it does take place the Christmas immediately following the end of Apollo Justice.

This is a parody of Miracle on 34th Street of which I am a huge fan. It is one of the only movies where I love both the original and the remake (if you haven't seen them both you should take the time to watch them both) and I've also read the book. Told you I'm a big ole Christmas dork!

Happy Holidays! I promise to do my best to finish this before the big guy "descends on us from above." Apologies, to those of you who haven't played AAI, but for those of you who get the joke you and I both know that is the BEST sequence of the game hands down!

**Miracle at the Wright Anything Agency**

**Prologue- _Magic in the Air_**

Legends of the magic of the Christmas season have existed for ages. One merely needs to enter a book store or turn on the television during the month of December to be bombarded with stories such as a lion and a lamb sleeping peacefully together or a miser being transformed overnight into the most philanthropic man in town and while Phoenix Wright enjoyed these tales of Yuletide wonder he had never **personally** witnessed any of this supposed magic himself. In fact, he believed that the important messages that the celebration of Christmas intended to convey to the faithless and battered masses had long since been smothered to death in a sea of commercialism.

He found that most people used the season as an excuse to drink too much, spend money they didn't possess, and commit various desperate acts. All of which made Phoenix, a man who had fought with his share of personal demons, just shake his head in frustration.

Sure, he might seem like a hapless hobo, but he had figured out what was important. You have to appreciate what you are lucky enough to have and for him that was having the company of friends and family. Phoenix had people he would literally trust with his life despite the many betrayals and losses he had experienced over the years and he felt that was what was important.

A little 'God-damned faith' was what he liked to call it, but he was pretty sure that most of his neighbors hadn't learned this valuable life lesson. Still, he wasn't prepared to write off the whole "magic of the season" mumbo-jumbo as total and complete nonsense. If anything was going to break through people's shells and transform them into the kind of caring people the world needed more of, the kind who didn't commit heinous acts of violence out of jealousy or greed, it would be Christmas, he was sure of that.

Phoenix had seen more than his share of unexplained phenomena and over the years he had grown to sense when something mystical was afoot and that night, just a few days before Christmas, as he stood across from the Wright Anything Agency he felt something in the air. It was almost like a kind of static electricity. Most people would have discounted it as having something to do with the falling snow, but as he watched the flakes gracefully glide down from the clouds and come to rest on the concrete stoop outside of his home and office he was convinced that something special was about to happen.

And **that** meant that it was time for him to be leaving for a secret mission. As he turned away a smile danced upon his lips. He delighted in knowing that whatever miraculous events were about to unfold at his office they would be the problem of his young apprentice, Apollo Justice, and not his.

For while he was willing to do anything to help Trucy and Apollo, even lay down his life for them if necessary, he preferred to stand on the sidelines and watch them bumble through their adventures. It was much more amusing that way and rarely if ever did they actually **need** his help.


	2. Chapter 1 Wright Between the Eyes

Risenfromash: I've been struggling with this chapter a lot, but I reminded myself this isn't meant to be some masterpiece it's to pay homage to some of my favorite pieces of fiction so here you go. I'm curious to know is there a canon interpretation of what a Snackoo is like?

CHAPTER 1- Wright Between the Eyes

As the snow fell burying the impurities of the city in gleaming white, a man dressed all in red reclined in his office chair reflecting on his day. His stocking feet rested upon his desk and his eyes were closed as though he were asleep, but his mind buzzed with activity, so much so his spiky bangs virtually vibrated with excitement.

For though Apollo Justice was physically weary from yet another hard-won courtroom victory, followed by a vigorous celebratory snowball fight with his assistant, Trucy Wright, he was far from worn out. Now was the time of day when he got to enjoy life and consider things other than testimony and autopsy reports and, therefore, he wouldn't allow himself to drift off.

With only a few days till Christmas he needed to finally make up his mind what to get the Wrights. He knew most people found gift giving a chore, but he was enjoying having someone to shop for. Being an orphan that had not been lucky enough to get adopted as a young child he had naturally assumed he would not enjoy the luxury of a good old-fashioned family Christmas until he himself settled down with someone and had kids of his own. No one could have foreseen that after "aging out" of the system at eighteen that he would go on to become "adopted" as an adult.

Of course, it was ironic that at his age when most young men were working hard to establish their own identity and distance themselves from their relatives, Apollo was doing the exact opposite having happily taken up permanent residence with his idol, Phoenix Wright, and Phoenix's adopted daughter, Trucy. Cynical people would have commented that it was "typical" of the way the world worked that now that he was old enough to not "need" a family he had managed to land one, but Apollo felt no resentment. All that mattered to him was that he now felt more loved than he ever had previously and while it was certain none of the trio were especially mushy sorts of people there was no doubt in Apollo's mind that the Wrights loved and cared about him just as much as he did.

The intensity of Apollo's connection to both his paralegal and his aloof secretive mentor seemed even more bizarre when one considered the bizarre and seemingly random chain of events that had led him to life here at the Wright Anything Agency. If someone had pitched the story as a movie plot they would have been laughed out of the business, yet here he was about to have his first Christmas with the Wrights.

Trucy had decorated the office for the winter holidays with not only an aluminum tree, but red and green tinsel garland, paper snowflakes, and a menorah. She had even gone to the work of relocating the plate of fake spaghetti and the various other flea market rejects that usually cluttered up the office so that she could display a Christmas village complete with ice skating rink with little skaters that moved around while it played carols.

Apollo liked the decorations even though the Christmas village was **clearly** painted extremely poorly and many of Trucy's snowflakes were a just a wee bit too square in shape and Charley looked as though he had been **bound** in popcorn garland rather than draped with it. It still made him smile. It was festive…and so very much the Wrights.

When he first came to be employed by the Wright Anything Agency it had been a major adjustment. After working at one of the most prestigious law firms in the country anywhere else would have seemed like a step in the wrong direction especially going to work out of a home office belonging to a disgraced former attorney. It wasn't exactly what they call a "resume builder" and it had disturbed him as had Phoenix's strange behavior and frequent disappearances, but eventually Apollo chose to view all of this as merely "unconventional" rather than "crazy."

He and Phoenix had in common the same goal as defense attorneys; to protect the innocent and that meant that regardless of how tacky the office might look Apollo knew the Wright Anything Agency was where he belonged. He, like Wright before him, was troubled by the nation's fast-to-trial even faster-to-the-noose justice system so he took the cases no one else wanted, the impossible-to-win, no-evidence-to-support-the-defendant's-alibi, has-no-money-to-pay-for-representation kinds of cases. This was wonderful news for the falsely accused, but bad news fro Justice's pocketbook. His bracelet, his suit, and his laptop computer were the extent of the items he owned that were of any real worth and even together they wouldn't have added up to the expense of just one of the ugly, splotchy oil paintings Kristoph insisted on hanging all over his firm's walls.

Which was why he had been thinking a lot about Christmas. He was determined to get his friends "nice" presents, but he didn't have enough money to get them the things he felt they deserved. He even considered making them gifts, but he didn't knit, draw, or play an instrument so it seemed unlikely he was capable of creating anything they would actually like and he wanted to do something special for all the people who had helped him throughout the last year.

And that didn't just mean Phoenix and Trucy. He was considering getting presents for Klavier and Ema, too, but he didn't want to make things awkward. They were his friends, but they were also colleagues and…

Apollo wasn't too worried about what to give Klavier. The man was so rich that whatever Justice gave him would be seen more as a sweet gesture than anything, but Ema was a different story.

Apollo often found the detective slumping through his thoughts as though in slow motion complete with slow moving Snackoo projectiles aimed right at him. He didn't know whether to love her or hate her, but there was **definitely** something about her that intrigued him.

Apollo began to fumble with his bracelet. It was a nervous habit he **thought** he had outgrown, but whenever his musings turned to her he found himself doing it again….and again…and again, because it lately Ema had been on his mind a lot, a fact he worked desperately to hide from Trucy, who was a bit of a mind reader.

He felt embarrassed to be thinking of her so much when all he did was moan and complain about how much she moaned and complained. It occurred to him that he might have a bit of an infatuation with her, but he wanted very badly to assure himself he didn't. Having a crush on Detective Ema Skye would be bad news, perhaps the worst news ever. She was infuriating and irritating and annoying. She was apathetic about most everything other than science and she didn't seem to like any of the things Apollo liked including the holiday season.

He had asked her the other day what she was doing for Christmas and she had answered with an uninterested, "Oh, is that coming up soon?" As though he had just mentioned the opening of some B-grade movie.

It also drove Apollo nuts that the woman hardly ever smiled. It made him determined to **make** her smile. He felt driven to get past that blasé exterior and find the true pearl beneath. Hadn't Phoenix said that Ema could be a lot more fun once you got to know her? Apollo grinned. He was going to get to know Ema Skye better, and what better way to soften her a little than with a nice Christmas present?

His eyebrow lifted. It was going to take more than a "World's Greatest Detective" coffee mug to achieve that. Problem was he had no idea what Ema actually liked, and she was grouchy. All. The. Time.

And then there was one more problem. Klavier Gavin the Rock God Extraordinaire. He also appeared to be trying to break down the wall that surrounded the brunette's emotions. Apollo had observed that on numerous occasions Klavier found excuses to have Ema around him even when another detective was available and would have been just as qualified to assist him. This meant that Apollo had competition's in court rival could very well end up being a rival for Ema's heart, if she had one, and Klavier was a **rock star**. Ema acted as though she despised Klavier but it was difficult to imagine **anyone** who wouldn't enjoy Klavier's attention. He could serenade you, buy you anything you desired, take you to romantic destinations around the world, and if you dated him you would be the envy of every woman and, undoubtedly, some men, too.

Ever the thinker, Apollo had also considered the possibility that Klavier was actually gay and that his apparent interest in Detective Skye was a kind of cover. For all he knew she might even have been in on the ploy. She seemed like the type that would enjoy pulling the wool over everyone's eyes, but as he had no evidence that this was the case he had to face the very real possibility that he, a fledgling, penniless, car-less defense attorney who spent all his free time hanging out with a teenage girl and her wooden puppet was competing for a date with the lead singer/guitarist for the Gavinners.

Apollo rubbed his face in his hands. He tried to assure himself that he didn't actually need a girlfriend and that he could do better than Ema. He could find himself a girl who actually **smiled** and knew how to have a good time, not frumpy-faced Ema, with her obsessions with the scientific and logical.

As the man in scarlet fought to vanquish images of Ema from his mind and convince himself to abandon any interest he might have in her, someone burst through the Wright Anything Agency's door as though on a mission.

Marching past him was Ema Skye herself, complete with her usual scowl. She proceeded to stomp past him towards the kitchen tossing a file folder on the couch as she went.

"Hey, Ema. What's up?"

Apollo had long since given up on any attempts at professionalism in his communications with, well, pretty much anyone. Those who strolled through the doors of the Wright Anything Agency were rarely looking for the stereotypical attorney and Ema was clearly not here for business.

"Ugh!" She grumbled. "I've had a **terrible** day. **Terrible**! And I went to the Quick-E Market on fourth and they were completely out of Snackoos! Can you believe that? They said everyone is buying them as stocking stuffers."

A smile stretched across Apollo's lips.

"Snackoos that's a great idea! Mr. Wright likes them doesn't he?" Apollo reached to write himself a note to remember to pick some up as a treat for his mentor.

Ema rolled her eyes. "Yeah, he likes 'em…not as much as grape juice, though… or else he just keeps some around for when I come to visit."

It was well known that Snackoos were Ema's drug of choice. Their artificial chocolate flavoring and crunchy corn puff innards seemed to soothe her during moments of stress like nothing else could. It wouldn't have surprised Apollo to learn that Mr. Wright kept some around the office solely for that purpose. Therefore, he sighed and scratched through the note he had written himself and followed Ema as she stormed off toward the kitchen, clearly prepared to tear apart every inch of it until she found some Snackoos.

Apollo protested, explaining how he was the Agency's scapegoat and how any mess she created he would surely be blamed for, but Ema just shrugged.

"You think I care?" She said with raised eyebrows before practically diving into a cupboard to search for her favorite snack.

"You sure you didn't stop by to see me," he said playfully trying his hand at that flirtatious banter she and Klavier so often exchanged.

"Nope," Ema replied curtly as she squatted to more easily dig through a lower cupboard. "I'm just here to raid your kitchen…er Phoenix's kitchen. I just happened to know you'd be here."

Apollo grinned. Ok, so his first attempt at this hadn't worked so well, but now he had her right where he wanted her.

"**Scientifically** speaking," he said borrowing her catch phrase. "Wouldn't it have been easier to stop by Mor Food and pick some up there?" He was grinning. She would be forced to admit that for at least a passing moment he had been on her mind and…

"I did…but they're out to. It's that damn new ad campaign."

Apollo didn't pay as much attention to Snackoo promotions as Ema did and therefore was unaware that Tweets, Inc. makers of Snackoos and Snackoo O-Bites, had invested a major amount of capital into marketing them as a seasonal treat. Billboards, magazines, and the sides of buses all showed Santa stuffing stockings with miniature bags of Snackoos.

"You mean those stupid ads?"

"Yup. Advertise it enough and you make everyone think they can't live without it," Ema said, her voice oozing distaste.

Apollo extended his arm to object to the irony in this statement, but thought better of it. He wasn't sure if he had ever seen Ema without a bag of Snackoos. For all he knew she could be dangerous without them.

"Sorry to hear about the Snackoo shortage. That's gotta be hard…" he said working hard to ensure that he sounded sincere. "So, other than a truckload of them, what do **you** want for Christmas?"

Ema backed herself out of the cupboard she had crawled partway into.

"Just cause you wear red doesn't make you Santa Claus," she said disapprovingly.

"I know, but let's just say I know someone who might like to get you a present-"

Ema rolled her eyes and reached reflexively for a Snackoo from the hand in which she normally had them. She twitched slightly finding no bag there and grouchily barked her answer at Apollo before directing her attention to a different portion of the cupboard.

"."

"Excuse me?"

"You asked what I wanted and I told you." She glanced back at him and smugly said, "Good luck getting that down my chimney."

Apollo shook slightly as her eyes met his. What kind of a game was she playing at? He was trying to be nice and she was…being Ema.

"Well, I didn't say I would, but…"

"Un, huh. Un, huh. You Santa wannabes are all the same. You're all talk and no delivery."

"What do you mean?"

Ema pulled a step stool out of the broom closet and climbed on it to look in the highest shelf.

"Oh, His Majesty had me pick up a hobo over at Vitamin Park claiming to be Santa."

"Pretending to be Santa isn't illegal. Even Klavier should know that."

"It is when you create a public safety hazard. Everyone and their cousin is going over there to see this guy and his damned reindeer. And not only does he not have a permit to have them in the park, he doesn't even have a permit to own them in the first place."

"Sounds to me like he was just trying to do something nice for kids. He wasn't charging for them to see the reindeer was he?"

"No, but he didn't have adequate hand sanitizer and **scientifically speaking** you can get some really nasty internal parasites from deer poop. I'm surprised you don't know that."

"Well, I make it a point not to encourage the ingestion of **any kind** of poop."

"Well, two year-olds don't know any better and if one of them gets sick and the city gets sued we'll **all** be in trouble."

Apollo wasn't sure how he would be in trouble for any of this, but he nodded.

"Oh, and here's the kicker, Apollo. The old guy must be homeless or he's doing something **so** illegal at his residence he won't admit to us **where** he's from, cause all he says is he lives at the North Pole!"

Apollo hung his head. He was trying to defend the man's actions, but now this…this just sounded sad.

"Ema, he could have dementia. Did you really lock him up?"

Ema nodded. "Of course. He was violating multiple laws."

Apollo opened his mouth to ask more, but then Ema shouted in victory, "Ah hah!"

She pulled out a bag of Snackoos and ripped it open inhaling the scent as it billowed from the cellophane bag.

"So, there you go. You CRUNCH sentimental sap you. Merry CRUNCH Christmas. I like the office, by the way. It looked like a drunken elf went on a rampage. CRUNCH"

Apollo's eyes grew larger and larger as she spoke. He was taking in her anger, her hostility, and her grouchiness and he saw it all as beautiful. She was unique and secure enough to say what she thought. He admired that. He admired her and just then as though the Snackoos pelting him in rapid succession right between the eyes had been transformed into cupid's arrows he realized he was in love with her.

A few moments before he could have listed a hundred reasons why he and Ema would not be good together. He would have listed her lack of faith in those things she was incapable of proving scientifically. He would have listed her apparent coldness and her seeming inability to loosen up. He would have listed her lack of romanticism, but now he couldn't think of any of those things. All he could see was that he would do everything in his power to get her to abandon that armored exterior she presented to the world.

"Yeah, I guess it does look pretty bad-"

Behind him he heard a pained squeal and when he turned he just caught the sight of the end of Trucy's distinctive blue cape flutter out the door.


	3. Chapter 2 All Kinds of Specials

Risenfromash: I've decided to have this story have shorter chapters than my typical marathon word counts. So look for Chapter 3 soon.

CHAPTER 2- All Kinds of Specials

Apollo ran out of the office never stopping to glance behind him or offer an explanation to Ema. He'd hurt Trucy. That was all that mattered now.

Outside the snow flurries traveled to the Earth at strange angles blown by a fierce wind. The weathermen had reported that the storm would be letting up tonight, but anyone with eyes could see that it wasn't and in his haste the defense attorney had failed to grab his overcoat. He cursed himself for the mistake, but he refused to return to the office to get it. He knew when tailing a Gramarye seconds count.

He glanced up and down the street, but the swirling snow greatly decreased the visibility and Apollo knew perfectly well that even if it had been a clear day in July Trucy would still have managed to hide from him if she wanted. She could have been camouflaging herself in the shadows, perhaps within an arm's length of him, and he still would have had no idea. While grumbling to himself about how she could end up making him get frostbite, he scanned the ground for any taletell footprints in the snow, but there was nothing.

Apollo cursed himself for stupidly catering to Ema's grouchiness rather than saying what he really felt and he cursed Ema casting whatever spell on him that had made him do it. Later when he still hadn't found Trucy, he cursed her for running away and all the Gramaryes for being weird illusionist freaks who had felt the need to train her in dematerialization. Still later, he cursed his mentor and friend, Phoenix Wright, for being off God-knows-where and not being around to help with the search.

Apollo had been wandering around the neighborhood for almost a half hour when he started to get worried. Maybe she'd been kidnapped. He'd heard of it happening to the associates of some of the town's famous attorney's in the past and he was kind-of well known now. The thought of something having happened to her made him all the more desperate to find her and apologize for his careless remark, but he decided he ought to return to the office in case she had returned there while he had been out searching for her. Taking their usual shortcut through People Park, he saw her. She wasn't hiding at all; just sitting on a park bench with her head cast downward, her dainty feet swinging slowly back and forth.

"Trucy!"

When she raised her head in acknowledgement of his call, a pile of snow that had accumulated on the back of her hat slid down to the brim. Apollo felt uneasy. Normally she greeted him with a huge grin or a hug, but she wasn't even making a move to get up. "At least," he told himself. "I know what's bothering her."

"I'm mad at you," she said simply.

"Yeah, I know."

"You told me you liked the decorations. How could you agree with Ema? Ema doesn't like **anything** that has to do with Christmas. She's a Grinch."

"I know." Apollo shifted a little on his feet both from the awkwardness and from the fact his toes felt like ice cubes at this point. "Uh, Truce?"

He moved to sit down beside her on the bench, but thought better of it when he saw the amount of snow on it so he crouched in front of her, instead.

"I **told** you I liked the decorations, didn't I?"

"Yeah. You **did**." She said angrily.

"Well, **you** of all people would have known if I was lying to you."

Trucy's face brightened. "Oh, yeah!" She had temporarily forgotten about her special ability.

Placing a finger to her chin, she continued, "So, you **do** like them! You **didn't** lie to me!" She flung herself at her friend, hanging from his neck, affectionately kissing his cheek, and knocking him off balance so that he ended up toppling backwards.

"So-o-o, if you **really** like them, then why'd you lie to Ema? You never lie! You're way more honest than Daddy. Hhhhmmm."

Using the skills of deduction that she had learned from her Daddy, Trucy tried to solve the mystery of her friend's bizarre behavior. Apollo knew **exactly** why he had said what he had, but he glanced away trying to think of some way he could explain it to Trucy without revealing the truth.

Could he blame his actions on something akin to peer pressure, as though all the "cool" detectives and lawyers don't hang up stockings and tinsel? But Apollo wasn't fast enough, and Trucy knew him too well to fall for any hoax.

"Oh my gosh! You **like** her!" She said, her eyes bulging. "You like Ema Skye! Oh my gosh!" She hopped off Apollo's lap and proceeded to caper around him in what appeared to be some kind of gleeful tribal dance.

Apollo groaned. Having Trucy know about his crush was not good news. He opened his mouth to protest, but she just smiled smugly at him.

"Ok, try to deny it, Polly!" She challenged.

"I don't like Ema Skye."

Nothing in his voice would have betrayed him to the typical observer, but Trucy just laughed hysterically at his vain attempt at lying.

"Oh my God! Klavier is gonna be **so** pissed!" She giggled.

Apollo's shoulders sagged. "He likes her too doesn't he?"

"Un huh." Trucy nodded.

"Are you sure?"

She nodded again. "He's constantly sending her flowers and stuff."

The young man groaned.

"This is wonderful, just wonderful," he thought.

"But she just throws the flowers in the garbage or gives them to one of the detectives and tells them, 'You should give these to your wife. Scientifically speaking it will be good for your marriage.'" Apollo raised an eyebrow. He knew Ema liked to tell people what to do, but that seemed presumptuous even for her.

"Oh, Polly!" Trucy clapped. "This is wonderful! You'll have the cutest babies!"

Apollo felt like the wind had been knocked out of him. "Trucy, we haven't even gone on a **date** yet. I'll be lucky if she doesn't taser me or arrest me when I ask her."

Trucy shrugged. "It won't be that hard, Polly. Just catch her under the mistletoe and tell her how much you adore her."

"Yeah. Great. Why would I take love advice from you? Have you ever even been on a date?"

"Nope. I'm waiting for my special someone."

Apollo rolled his eyes. The Wrights were obsessed with this concept that there was one perfect match out there for each person, though neither Wright seemed to have had any luck finding their elusive individual.

"Ok, so now that you know my secret, can we **please** go back home? I can't feel my legs anymore," Apollo whined.

For the first time since his appearance Trucy noticed Apollo's manner of dress.

"Oh, I'm **so** sorry, Polly. You don't have your coat! You poor thing! I'll make you some extra special mint cocoa when we get home," and taking him by the hand she drug the blue defense attorney back to the Wright Anything Agency.


	4. Chapter 3 A Man's Needs

Risenfromash: I want to clarify something so no one thinks I'm whacked. In **this** story Apollo and Trucy do not yet know their special relationship. Hopefully, that says what I need to say without being a huge spoiler to someone who hasn't finished the Apollo Justice game and don't worry we will be getting to Santa real soon…

My apologies somehow when I uploaded this I got the rough drafts of the next few chapters tacked onto it. Teach me to forget to check after uploading…anyways, so sorry about that.

CHAPTER 3- A Man's Needs

When Trucy and Apollo got back home they found the door to the office was unlocked but Ema appeared to have left. Apollo wandered around calling Ema's name in case she was in the bathroom or inside a cupboard hoping to find more elusive packages of Snackoos, but when he received no response, he shrugged.

"I guess she left," he said, returning to the living room.

"Sorry! You poor thing! I'll make sure not to interrupt next time," Trucy teased with her signature tip of the hat and wink.

Apollo groaned. This was going to be **awful**. She was going to tease him all the time now and who knew how she'd act when Ema was around and he was genuinely trying to concentrate on getting some work done.

"And, Polly, don't worry about being honest. You can lie to her as much as you need to. It doesn't bother me."

Sighing, Apollo mumbled to himself how nothing Trucy believed or said ever seemed to make any sense, which he might understand had she been a Wright by genetics.

"I know it may seem strange to you, considering today's events, but, in actuality, I don't think lying to a girl…er…woman is the proper way to start off a relationship. I was just…trying to be supportive, I guess."

"Well, you just keep it up. I want nieces…or nephews."

The young defense attorney could have pointed out that since he and Trucy weren't actually brother and sister that she would have to be especially nice to him if she wished his offspring to honor her with the title of "auntie," but he was too disturbed by Trucy's assertion that if he went on a date with someone he was automatically going to impregnant his companion. He hoped that this was just some kind of overexerburance on her part and that she didn't actually believe things worked that way, but knowing Mr. Wright's parenting style Apollo considered it highly possible that Trucy had not yet had "the talk." He made a mental note to verify with Mr. Wright that **someone** had discussed the birds and the bees with Trucy while at the same time doing everything in his power to ensure Mr. Wright didn't saddle **him** with the job. He had learned a thing or two since moving in.

"So, tell me your plan to woo her…and you **better** have a plan, Polly. Because you have competition and Daddy says you should always have a plan."

Apollo snorted, "Your dad bluffs his way through everything. I've never seen a man with less of a plan!"

"I know," the magician giggled. "He's not very good at following his own advice. You know Daddy."

"Speaking of which, where is your dad?"

"Away on another secret mission, I guess."

"I thought those would have stopped after I proved he didn't really forge anything."

Crossing towards the kitchen to make the hot cocoa she had promised him, Trucy answered, "Well, sometimes I think they aren't all business meetings…I've got the suspicion that some of his secret missions may be more **social **in nature."

Apollo glanced at Trucy. "Really? You think he has a girlfriend?"

"Maybe. I dunno."

"Doesn't it bother you that he won't tell you?"

"Not really. I think he's testing my detection skills. Besides, he is my Daddy, but he's also a man so he deserves **some** privacy."

"What about me then? Don't **I **deserve some privacy?"

Trucy's laugh could be heard reverberating throughout the apartment.

"Of **course not**, Polly! You can't do this by yourself! You're wonderful, but I'm the only girl who thinks so."

Apollo sighed and sat down on the couch. He **felt** like crawling under it and hiding. "Thanks, Truce. I really needed that vote of confidence right now. How 'bout you just go right on and compare me to Klavier while you're at it."

Trucy popped out from around the corner of the kitchen.

"Oh, Polly! You're **so** much better than Klavier."

Apollo lifted his eyebrow and stared at Trucy. Her statement didn't have the air of lip service about it. Therefore, it roused his curiosity.

"Oh? How so?"

"You're honest."

"Klavier is honest. He's not like his brother. He just got caught up in stuff he didn't understand."

Trucy grinned. "You're smarter."

"I'm less distracted. I don't have two careers."

"Which is good because it means you can devote more time to pampering her!"

Apollo's face scrunched up involuntarily. He couldn't imagine getting close enough to Ema to "pamper" her, whatever that might mean. He couldn't even imagine kissing her without feeling the imaginary sting of a slap on the face afterward.

"I mean, sure, Klavier is incredibly dreamy and famous and rich-"

"Do you think she likes me at all?" Apollo whined.

"Hhhhhmmmm. I don't know. It may never have crossed her mind. I don't think she thinks like that."

"I'm sure she doesn't," he grumbled.

"But don't worry, Polly, we'll make her see you for the sexy beast that you are," Trucy shouted from the kitchen.

"Oh, God! Trucy, I love you, but I do not need your help on this, ok? I'll be fine on my own. I'm fine. Just fine."

Apollo heard Trucy murmur something that sounded like a placating response and he threw himself down on the couch. He was screwed. Trucy, bless her little heart, would somehow make this ten times worse for him and she was sure to tell her father and Apollo could only imagine what Phoenix would say about Apollo having a crush on his old friend.

He rubbed his face in his hands, desperately wishing he could remove that part of his brain that desired to make Ema happy. He tried to convince himself that she was undoubtedly chemically imbalanced and that no matter what he did he would never be able to please her, but he couldn't shake his desire to be with her. It made him upset to think about how futile it would be to try to get her to go out with him and as he mulled it over he got more and more grouchy, until he realized that part of his problem was that he was uncomfortable. He was **laying** on something.

Assuming it was part of one of Trucy's magic tricks he reached behind him and pulled the object without looking at it ready to automatically chuck it onto the floor as he had to do so often with her plastic chickens, foam bunnies, and collapsing hats, but to his surprise the article that had been poking him in the back didn't have anything to do with Trucy's act. It was the file folder that Ema had tossed on the couch as she had raided their provisions.

When Trucy walked back into the room carrying a tray with two cups of steaming hot cocoa she found Apollo sitting up on the couch deeply engrossed in something in a manilla file folder.

"What's that, Polly?"

"It's about our next case. The state vs. Kris Kringle."


	5. Chapter 4 The Big Guy in the Big House

Risenfromash: **I really messed up when I posted the last chapter and along with it I accidentally posted rough drafts of chapter four and five. Oops!** I have now fixed the problem and I apologize to those of you who will get deja-vu reading this as some of it is the same and some has been reworked.

Special thanks to my mom who years ago gave me a 1947 hardback copy of Miracle on 34th Street by Valentine Davies. It made it so easy to look up what exactly Kris says his age is.

CHAPTER 4- The Big Guy in the Big House

There was only one holiday decoration at the detention center, a psychotic looking Dicken's style caroler. His mouth formed an exaggerated O shape and his head and arms moved back and forth perpetually in a constant attempt at being festive. While Apollo got directions to where Mr. Kringle was being held, Trucy stopped in front of the two-foot high automaton and frowned at it.

"I'd have to agree with Ema on that one. **That** is one **ugly** Christmas decoration," Trucy declared pointing at it.

Apollo nodded. There was something disturbing about the way it's head rolled around when it's arms spread out. It was as though it was offering up its neck to a vampire rather than celebrating the miracle of the virgin birth.

"Someone probably brought it here because they couldn't sleep knowing it was in their house. Anyways, they should have just put a Santa hat on the Blue Badger. That would have been better."

It delighted Trucy that she had someone else to review holiday displays with. Her father was not exactly what one would call a Yuletide enthusiast. Every year he went out of his way to act the part of a curmudgeon, pretending that candy canes tasted no better than brussel sprouts and that he was planning on stuffing Trucy's stocking with coal, and while Trucy knew that it was only an act meant to irritate her she had grown tired of it in the last few years.

"Do you think they would let me bring in a Santa hat for the badger? I should ask."

"Not now, Truce. We've got work to do. Remember?"

Trucy stood at attention as though he were a drill sergeant. "Yes, sorry…but Polly, maybe I'm being really dense, but I **still** don't get it. How could this guy have been arrested for saying he's Santa Claus? That's not illegal! If it were everybody'd be in jail. I saw at least eight Santas on the way to the Wonder Bar on Tuesday."

"No, it's not illegal, but it wasn't so much that he **said** he was Santa. It has more to do with the reindeer."

Trucy hopped in delight.

"You didn't tell me he has reindeer. I **love** reindeer! Do you think he'll let me ride them?"

Apollo's brow furrowed. "I'm not sure people ride reindeer."

"Of course, they do! Oh, maybe I could borrow one of them for my act. Wouldn't that be great? Mr. Hat could come in riding a reindeer!"

"Well, nobody's going to get to do anything with his reindeer. Other than Animal Control, of course, till this whole thing is cleared up."

"You mean they **confiscated** them?" Trucy's eyes went wide with horror. How could the government be so cruel?

"Yeah. Well, Truce, they **had** to. While Mr. Kringle is in jail **someone** needs to take care of them."

"I'd have done it."

"I'm sure you would have, but I don't think they knew you were an amateur reindeer fosterer…and your dad would have had a cow if he came home and found them in the apartment."

Trucy rolled her eyes. "Polly, I wouldn't have kept them in the office!"

"You couldn't have them at the Wonder Bar, either. It's against health codes."

"Oh," she said looking dejected.

"It's really the best thing for them to be with the professionals at Animal Control…for the moment."

"It's just so sad. He wasn't doing anything wrong."

"We aren't sure of that, but we'll talk to him and see what he has to say-"

"And you'll create the most remarkable defense ever and crush the competition in court just in time for Christmas."

Apollo smiled. "One can only hope."

~xxxx~

"Ho, hello! And who might you be?" Kris asked. He was a portly man, probably in his late fifties or early sixties with tiny round glasses, rosy cheeks, and white hair, a white mustache and a snowy white beard.

"I'm Apollo Justice and this is Trucy Wright."

"Of course. Of course."

The man glanced from Apollo to Trucy and back again with a bemused expression on his face.

"Don't worry, Santa," Trucy said leaning in toward the glass as though sharing a secret with a close friend. "You don't need to put Polly on the naughty list. I'm not his girlfriend. Polly doesn't have a girlfriend, not yet anyways, but he does have a crush on Detective Skye."

The old man smiled and murmured the name, "Detective Skye…" as though scanning through databanks in his brain.

"She's probably the one who cuffed you," Trucy said helpfully.

"Oh, yyeeeessss! I knew I recognized that name! She takes her job very seriously doesn't she?"

"Yes, but I'm hoping Polly here will loosen her up a little. She's **super** uptight, but Klavier hasn't been able to-"

Apollo raised his hands.

"Enough, enough! We're here to interview this man in preparation for tomorrow's trial, not talk about my non-existent love life. Ok, Trucy?"

Kris Kringle smiled again. "Mr. Justice always takes things seriously too, doesn't he?"

Trucy nodded and smiled. "He's **very** good at his job. Almost as good as my Daddy."

Apollo groaned and attempted to redirect the conversation back to the task at hand.

"Sooooo, Mr. Kringle, is that your given name?"

"Yes. It was given to me by the orphanage."

"I see. So you don't know who your parents are…er…were."

"No," Kris said with just a hint of sadness.

"That's alright, sir, you don't need to explain. I'm an orphan, too."

"Me, too. Well, sort-of. I have a Daddy, but my other Daddy he passed away. Have you heard of Ace Attorney Phoenix Wright? That's my Daddy. He's famous. He's teaching Polly everything he knows-"

With great irritation, Apollo again raised his hands to indicate Trucy needed to stop the deluge of unnecessary information flooding the poor old man seated across from them.

"**Anyways**, do you know how old you are?"

"Well, I like to say that I'm as old as my tongue and a little bit older than my teeth."

Apollo didn't know what to make of this quaint, yet thoroughly unhelpful response, but he decided that his client's age wasn't really that important anyway.

"Well, let's move on to more current events. That's what's most relevant anyways."

The old man remained whimsical, but cooperative as though confident that one way or another everything would get worked out. Apollo could not imagine himself being so laid-back if he was ever arrested. He wondered what kind of magic was keeping Mr. Kringle calm and hoped it wasn't a symptom of some mental disorder or another.

"Can you explain to me what **exactly** you were doing in Vitamin Park?"

"Oh, most certainly. I was showing my reindeer to the children in the park."

"And why were you doing that?"

"Well, people don't often get to meet a reindeer up close and it's very good for the reindeer, too. They get awfully sad that they only get to visit people after they're asleep. It makes their job awfully boring. Though more people leave out carrots than they used to."

"You mean on Christmas Eve."

"Yes, of course."

"I see." Apollo wasn't sure what to make of the man's statements. He might very well need to have a psychiatrist come in and evaluate him, but he decided to continue figuring if he did so maybe he'd figure out what Kris was playing at.

"You've listed your occupation as deliveryman."

"That's exactly right. I used to be more of a craftsman, but lately I'm mainly in the transport business."

Trucy smiled. "I like your deliveries."

"You've always been such a sweet child especially considering all you've been through."

Apollo started a little, but then remembered that the disappearance of Trucy's real father, Zak Gramayre, had been featured in the news and Trucy **was** wearing the distinctive costume of the Gramayre family. Therefore, a person with a good memory might be able to deduce who she was even though he had introduced her as Trucy **Wright.**

Still this awareness impressed the lawyer, but he reminded himself that Mr. Kringle could remember every detail in the world and still be a quack, but the young defense attorney felt something in his heart when he looked at the old man. It was a kind of camaraderie he usually only felt with the Wrights. He wanted so badly to get this man declared innocent of all charges, but Apollo knew he couldn't dance around the issue any longer.

Deciding it was best to get to the heart of the matter, he asked, "Do you have a permit for owning those…" He glanced at his paperwork, "Eight reindeer?"

"No. Where I live a permit is not required and I had no idea I needed one to show them to people. It seems ridiculous, but then again what do I know? I'm rather shy. I really only come into the city once a year."

Apollo nodded. He was confident this man was not from around here. He had a trusting and honest way about him that you just didn't see in those who spent all their time in the city.

"Mr. Justice, you don't think they'll be a lot of media at this trial do you? I really don't like negative publicity. It really hurts the spirit."

"The spirit?"

"The spirit of the season. The magic. Surely a smart man like yourself knows all about it."

Trucy nodded, but Apollo bit his inner lip.

"Sir, pardon me for being so forward, but do you **actually** think you're Santa Claus?"

"No, I don't think I'm Santa! I **know** I'm Santa!"

The guard standing at the back of the room shook his head at Apollo.

"You got your work cut out for you this time, Justice!" he chortled.

~xxxx~

As soon as the visitation room door swung closed behind them, Apollo grabbed Trucy by the arm and pulled her to the side of the hallway.

"Trucy look and me and lie."

"What?"

"Just do it. Now."  
"Fine. This morning I ate twenty-five blueberry pancakes."

Apollo's bracelet squeezed like it did when a person talking to him lied.

"Just kidding. It was twenty-five buckwheat-" The bracelet gave a squeeze again.

"Ok, ok. It seems to be working." Apollo stared at his bracelet.

"Could it stop working?" Trucy asked with interest.

"I don't know. But it didn't go off **once** while we were in there!" Apollo spat while pointing back in the direction of the room they had just exited.

"That's because he isn't lying, Polly. He's telling the truth."

"Oh, what? That he's Santa Claus and lives at the North Pole?"

"That he's a nice man from out of town who owns reindeer and delivers things. Trust in your client. That's what Daddy says."

"Trucy, I believe that **he** believes he's telling the truth, but how could one person deliver presents to all the world's children in one night and I know for a **fact** that most presents that say they're from Santa are really from par-"

"Polly, do you believe that I can pull things from my panties?"

"Yes, I do, but we've talked about this! I'd **really** prefer if we **not** discuss your magic panties while we're working."

"Yeah, yeah, whatever. You know it's an illusion, right?"

"Yeah, but-"

"This is like that. Santa is magic. He makes the impossible possible. It doesn't have to make sense, Apollo. It's just like my magic panties."

Apollo sighed. Usually when Trucy talked about her panties she was just bragging about what she could pull from them, but now she was using them as some kind of allegory.

"So much for getting her to not talk about her magic panties while we work," he grumbled under his breath.

"Apollo! Apollo Justice! Give me that file, you thief! I could have you arrested."

Apollo turned around just in time to see Ema running towards him.

"Ema, you left it on my couch…er Mr. Wright's couch."

"**Actually**, it's **my** couch," Trucy said rocking back and forth on her feet. "I paid for it with my Wonder Bar money."

"Why does that not surprise me?" Apollo mumbled.

"It doesn't matter **where** I left it. **That** is an official police file and you are obligated as a good citizen to return it to the police department!"

"Well, you left it at our place and didn't even have the courtesy to lock the door when you left. Our stuff could have gotten stolen! So maybe you should think a little-" Apollo was getting red in the face with infuriation.

"The ethical thing to do would be to return those documents to me. You have my cell phone number! You could have called me."

Apollo took a deep breath in an attempt to calm himself down. "Look, Ema. I'm returning them **now**. I was just curious about Mr. Kringle."

"Oh? And why is that?"

"Because I believe he deserves my representation."

Ema's eyes flared with anger. "You're defending that man?"

"'That man' is a very nice old gentleman."

"But he was breaking the law."

"He lacked a permit. Since when does violating a statute regarding public park usage end up with you behind bars? Come on, Ema! Make the guy pay a fine or better yet get in the spirit of the season, give him a bottle of hand sanitizer, and look the other way."

Ema was leaning into Apollo's face, her nostrils flaring. She looked like she might bite him when her cell phone alarmed. She pulled it out of her pocket, pushed a button on it and then reached into her other pocket from which she produced a Snackoo.

"CRUNCH"

Apollo blinked in confusion. A moment ago she had been quite literally in his face and now she was thoughtfully chewing a Snackoo.

"Ema, what was that?"

"It's my CRUNCH Snackoo timer. I have to ration them due to the shortage. CRUNCH"

Apollo laughed thinking she was joking, but Trucy swatted him knowing that Ema was deadly serious.

"She's not kidding, Polly," Trucy whispered to him. "Do you know how hard it is to get Snackoos right now?"

"I've also found that if I'm scientific about it I can get the greatest enjoyment out of each bite if I chew it twenty-seven times."

Ema's eyes rolled skyward as she counted each chomp.

"Great, I've fallen for a crazy person," Apollo thought. "The only way I'm going to get any attention from her is if I turned into a Snackoo."

"Look, Ema. I'm sorry I didn't immediately return this to you, but as Mr. Kringle's attorney I would have access to all this information anyways so it doesn't really matter."

Ema tipped her head as she took another tiny bite of her coveted snack food.

"I **suppose** that is true. CRUNCH. And I'm glad you're taking the case."

"Really?"

"Yes, you're a fairly good lawyer."

"Thanks…I think."

"It'll be fun to see the courtroom wiped up with you."

"Oh, come on. I can win this thing."

"Not against **him** you can't."

"What? I've beat Klavier a bunch of times."

Ema's face erupted into an evil grin. "Oh, not **him**. He's not very good, scientifically speaking. But, **Edgeworth**, he's in a class by himself."

Apollo swayed. Edgeworth? Edgeworth? He was going against the "Demon Prosecutor" on a case about Santa Claus?

"What the hell is Klavier doing?" Apollo shouted angrily. Could his friend not bother himself to take a case this minor or what?

"He's got the Aid the World concert," Ema said before taking another nibble of her Snackoo.

Trucy jumped with excitement. "Oh, that's right! That's Christmas Eve isn't it? It's going to be on all the major networks and the Gavinners have agreed to play nonstop till they raise thirty million dollars to combat…hunger or AIDs or something."

Apollo planted his forehead in his hands. This was getting better and better. Klaveir was blackmailing the world into giving money to some worthy cause while he would be getting his ass handed to him by Miles Edgeworth, the greatest rival of his mentor.

Ema smiled, obviously happy to have been the one to deliver the news to Apollo. She pulled the file folder from between his fingers.

"I'd say good luck…because you **are** going to need it but, instead, I'm just going to say thanks for getting me out of security detail at the Aid concert. I really hate the Gavinners."

"Well, that's one thing we have in common," Apollo mumbled to himself as images of Edgeworth's icy glare played in his mind.


	6. Chapter 5 Believing it to be So

**Risenfromash**- I am a little concerned, ok, a lot concerned that I will fail to wrap this up by Christmas day, but I'm plugging away at it and hoping that you'll still be in the spirit of the season even into 2011. If I'm lucky that magic of the season stuff will work for me and I'll wrap this sucker up on time.

CHAPTER 5- Believing It To Be So

In spite of the cold and reports that another two inches of snow was expected overnight, Trucy and Apollo agreed unanimously to walk back to the Wright Anything Agency like usual rather than wait for the number 62 bus, which was notorious for never arriving when scheduled. Apollo walked briskly his mind focused on creating a defense for Mr. Kringle, but Trucy wasn't able to break from her usual habit of commenting on the scenery, reading signs posted on street corners and saying hello to ever passerby.

"Could you hurry up, please?" Apollo whined knowing perfectly well that while technically capable of hustling Trucy had never hurried through anything in her life. She was a "stop and smell the roses" kind of a person which normally he found endearing, but today in the freezing cold, strong wind, and impending courtroom defeat seemed perfectly annoying.

Trucy stopped for what seemed like the three hundredth time in order to cross the street to Bangles and Brooches. As one of the last independently owned and operated jewelry stores in town it was worth a peek ever now and again as the store's wares were quite unique, but today when she veered in the direction of the displays Apollo moaned.

"Trucy, do you have to look at 'your' ring **every **day? It's like ten degrees out here or something!"

Trucy didn't skip a beat in her joyful gallop toward the object of her desire, a silver ring with a blue stone just the color of her magician's outfit. She had proclaimed that it was to be hers the moment she first laid eyes on it despite the fact she had never once entered the store to learn its price.

"Yes, I have to look at it. I have to make sure it's still there. I'm sure it missed me."

Apollo rolled his eyes, but obediently went and stood by her side rubbing his hands together and stamping his feet.

"I'll let her look at it for ten seconds and then we're done. Ten…nine…eight…" he thought to himself.

"Oh, Polly, look at that new necklace. Isn't it gorgeous?"

Apollo was far from being a connoisseur of jewelry, but having his special bracelet did make him appreciate adornments more than many males and so he leaned forward to see what was new in the window since yesterday.

"Yeah, that one's ok." He nodded his approval. "But I like the one next to it better. It'd look good on Ema." He said it without thinking and immediately blushed.

"Wow, Polly! That's a pretty fancy thing to be picking out for her. I think most guys start with a t-shirt or something."

"I didn't say I was going to **buy** it for her! I just commented it's nice and looks like the kind of thing Ema might like. You know, it looks…sciencey…or something."

The pendant did in fact have a faint suggestion of the cosmos or the arrangement of molecular particles in an atom what with the concentric circles it featured and the pearl-like moonstones.

"You should get it for her. She'd like it."

"I'm not buying that. It probably costs a whole paycheck…at least."

Trucy shrugged in the way she always did when it came to matters of money.

"Well, if you're not getting that for her, what **are** you getting her?"

"Give me a break, Trucy," Apollo groaned. "There is no way I'd buy a woman who isn't even my girlfriend something that expensive and…personal."

"So what are you giving her?"

"I haven't decided yet," he muttered.

"Christmas Eve is tomorrow, Polly!"

"Yeah, I know, believe me, but I'm a little preoccupied with how I'm going to get the nice old man she threw in jail to be found innocent. Come on we gotta go."

~xxxx~

When they got home Trucy ran over to the thermostat and cranked up the heat. Hearing the roar of the furnace she applauded wildly, "Oh, good! Daddy **did** pay the bill!"

"You know, if your Dad needs more help with the bills I could-"

"No, Polly," Trucy said shaking her head. "You pay your share. It's just Daddy whose been having a hard time. It's hard to play underground illegal poker when it's been all over the news that you're really a famous, brilliant attorney-"

The door opened and in walked Phoenix dressed in his usual sweat suit only with an additional hoodie over it and thick woolen socks under his sandals. Over his shoulder was slung an enormous black garbage bag that tinked with each step. It crossed Apollo's mind that maybe money was so tight Mr. Wright had taken to collecting refundable pop bottles like many hobos did to earn some cash.

"What's in the bag, Mr. Wright?"

"Laundry."

At this, Apollo's bracelet squeezed to indicate a lie, but Apollo decided not to pursue the issue. Like Trucy, he had developed a kind of respect for Mr. Wright's secrets.

"Daddy! You're home!" Trucy shouted practically flying around the corner into the living room and throwing herself into her adoptive father's arms.

"How's my little sweetheart doing? Getting into trouble?"

"No, of course, not Daddy."

"Good." He then turned to face Apollo and grinned widely. "Because it sounds like Apollo has found enough for all of us…Something about proving the existence of Santa Claus in court…against Edgeworth."

Apollo sunk deeper into his faux leather office chair in embarrassment.

"That's not exactly what the case is about."

"Not according to Ema."

"Oh, God! What is she doing running around telling everyone!"

"Speaking of telling!" Trucy ran in between the two attorneys hopping from one foot to the next, back and forth. "Guess what? I have the most wonderful news. Guess who Polly likes?"

"TRUCY! For Pete's sake!" Apollo shouted.

"Detective Skye," Phoenix replied without a moment of hesitation.

Trucy and Apollo's jaws dropped simultaneously.

"There's a lot of things I know," he said nonchalantly. "But I only choose to acknowledge or share the information when the time is right."

"But, Dadddeeee! How did you know for sure? I mean, **I suspected**, but I didn't **know**, you know? I was thrown off by the way Polly gazes at Klavier across the courtroom-"

"I DO NOT!" An indignant Apollo jumped up from his chair making Phoenix laugh so hard he had to grip the edge of the desk for support. Apollo felt the urge to stomp out of the room.

"Truc-c-c-y! You can't go around telling everybody. If it gets back to Ema, I'm dead."

"Or Klavier," Phoenix offered. "He likes her, too, you know."

"I know!" Apollo spat in his mentor's direction making Mr. Wright laugh even harder.

"So, tell me Justice, how **exactly**…" Apollo grimaced, not him, too! Why wouldn't anyone lay off his attraction to Detective Grouch? "Do you plan to win this case?" Relieved Apollo opened his mouth.

"You know there are no such cases against the Easter Bunny or the Tooth Fairy to establish a precedence."

Apollo glared at Mr. Wright wanting very badly to tell him to go to hell, but he was also suspicious that Phoenix Wright was actually being serious. It was always so hard to tell with him.

Annoyed, Apollo shrugged and mumbled, "Honestly, I've got no idea, but the guy shouldn't be in jail. I don't know what Ema was thinking."

"I do. She hates Christmas," Trucy said simply.

Phoenix stood expressionless. "Perhaps."

"Ugh! Mr. Wright, you're no help! What am I supposed to do! I'll be the laughing stock of the entire courthouse-"

"But the man, deserves a defense. Trust in your client."

Apollo's head bobbed in a placating nod.

"Justice, this is important. Do you believe in Santa Claus?"

Apollo's brow furrowed and he rubbed his forehead. To answer honestly would involve a long-winded answer, one that he would have wished to attach many asterisks to along with a lot of small print, but Apollo knew that wasn't the answer that his mentor was looking for.

Letting out a great sigh that made the papers sitting on his desk wave, Apollo conceded, "I know it's crazy, but I do."

He quickly looked away unsure of how Phoenix would react to such a ridiculous statement. "You must think I'm insane."

"Apollo," Phoenix said calmly. "I once called a parrot to the stand."

Whirling his head around in the direction of the dark haired lawyer, Apollo stammered, "You did what?"

Smirking, Phoenix said, "I thought you said you had watched all the tapes of my court room victories?"

Apollo grinned sheepishly and ran his hand through his hair. "Guess I missed one, sir."

And without another word Phoenix strolled over to the couch, sat down and turned on the Steel Samurai.


	7. Chapter 6 If the Suit Fits

Risenfromash: In my version of the Ace Attorney world a number of OCs exist and even though this story is AU from my big Vera/Polly, Maya/Nick story arc I have reused a location and at least one OC from _Polly's Secret_. So, if this chapter interested you consider reading that story as it delves much more deeply into this setting and if you don't like it…well, I'm sorry.

CHAPTER 6- If the Suit Fits

Seated at his desk, young Apollo Justice was barely visible behind the stack of dusty law books piled in front of him. He had spent several hours carefully reviewing previous cases regarding park statutes, mistaken identity, and the rights of foreign aliens, but in truth nothing was helping and he was feeling more and more discouraged.

Exasperated by the seemingly unwinable nature of his case, he jokingly asked his assistant, "Why am I doing this, again?"

"Because you believe we should all be free to get as many reindeer diseases as we want."

"I'm confident that wasn't it, Trucy." Apollo responded dryly.

Then in a more serious tone he added, "There is just no way I'm going to win this thing."

She came up behind him, placed her arms around his neck, and whispered in his ear, "Polly, you have to believe. Otherwise the magic doesn't work. Remember, it's like my magic panties."

"Trucy, please don't talk to me about your panties when you're touching me like that. I don't want your dad to get the wrong idea."

Trucy giggled mischievously.

"I dunno. Maybe if Ema had a little competition-"

"NO!"

Trucy smiled, "I'm only kidding, Polly."

"Thank, God. That's the last thing I need. No offense."

"None taken."

Apollo sighed and eyed the pile of books again. There were about thirty more cases he could look up, but it seemed so pointless. Nothing he was referencing was providing any support for a defense. He had to seriously consider advising Mr. Kringle to accept a plea bargain, but doing so meant that this arrest would be on his permanent record and even that seemed like too great a punishment for the 'crimes' the old man had committed.

Sighing, Apollo mused to himself that perhaps the best way to prepare for the next day was just to have a good supper and get some sleep as that was libel to do more good than any more study of the litigious tomes he had been reading.

Trucy stared at him.

"You're upset."

"I'm fine."

"You need a distraction."

"I'm. Fine."

"We could watch some Steel-"

"NO!" Apollo considered the Steel Samurai and all its clones produced by Global Studios to be only slightly more cultured than the Gavinners' music.

"Then we should go do something. We could go Christmas shop-"

"NO!" Christmas shopping was not going to relax him. The stores would be jam-packed and all he would be thinking about was whatever insanely extravagant gift Klavier would be bestowing on Ema. Whatever it was would make whatever he gave her seem pathetic.

Apollo sat glumly staring at nothing in particular. His phone rang and he answered it grouchily by barking his name into it.

"Thank goodness I got ahold of you! We have a big problem down here at the center."

The speaker didn't need to identify herself, nor did she seem surprised by the gruff manner of Apollo's greeting. She knew him well enough to know he didn't mean anything by it.

"Oh, hi, Shelley. How's it going?"

Shelley Johnston had been the main operational manager of A Children's Place safe house for foster kids for as long as Apollo could remember and even though it had been nearly a year since he had last volunteered at the half-way house he could recognize the perpetually optimistic woman's voice easily.

"Tonight's the kid's Christmas party and the person we normally have be Santa can't make it. Could you fill in?"

"Tonight?"

"Yeah, I'm really sorry about the short notice, but I really need a Santa. All you have to do is come to the party and let the kids have their pictures made with you and that sort of thing. Normally, I could have Carol's husband do it, but he's picking up the coats we had donated and Jamal is cooking the tamales, and-"

"No worries, Shell. I'd be happy to help out." Normally, Apollo would never have gone out the night before a trial, but it didn't seem like any of the prep work he was doing was helping and this seemed like something even his client would have wanted him to do.

~xxxx~

"Hold still!" Trucy shouted.

Shelley had lucked out that along with Apollo came a professional performing artist more than qualified at costuming, as transforming the short, young defense attorney into Santa Claus was no small feat.

"I look silly. It's too bad they couldn't find someone older. No ones going to believe that I'm Santa Claus."

Trucy clucked her tongue impatiently as she pinned yet another pillow inside the suit to create the 'bowl full of jelly' commonly sported by St. Nick.

"Polly, they will believe if they wish to believe…and they do. They need this more than anybody."

Apollo nodded. Sadly, the vast majority of the children at the home weren't truly orphans in the way he and Trucy were. Many of them had parents that were still living, but weren't able to deal with the challenges of parenthood for a variety of reasons and while Apollo and Trucy's lives were marked by tragedies and abandonment, compared to some of the things these kids had been through the two of them had had it easy.

"Laugh," Trucy ordered shaking Apollo from the sad thoughts collecting in his mind.

"What?"

"Like Santa. You need to practice."

Apollo blinked for a moment and then remembering his state of dress adjusted his white beard and said, "Oh! Oh, right…here goes. Ho. Ho."

Trucy groaned. "Polly, do it more like Mr. Kringle. Now, again! And this time with spirit! It's for the kids."

"Ho, ho, ho."

"Better. But it could still use work."

"I'll keep that in mind," he grumbled, feeling less than jolly. He felt ridiculous. He was too short to be Santa, as well as being far too young, and he could think of a million things that proved his get-up to be an obvious fake. He would be shocked if the children so much as spoke to him.

"Oh, Apollo! You look terrific," Shelley said coming in to inspect her last minute volunteer. "I can't thank you enough for doing this. Kelley's just getting the camera and stuff set up so it'll be just another minute…and here's the basket of candy canes for the kids."

Shelley was the most amazing multi-tasker Apollo had ever seen. After coordinating volunteers for years and acting as a stable rock in the lives of kids that tended to be batted around by the waves of life she had to be, but tonight she appeared unusually frazzled.

"So, what happened to the guy who was going to be Santa? He get the flu or something?"

Shelley stopped abruptly and hung her head a little. "Well, no. This sounds horrible, but I guess I can tell you. He's in jail. But it's not what you think! He's really a wonderful man, he just got in some kind of trouble…something about displaying his reindeer or something stupid like that."

Apollo leaned forward, his fake white beard swinging, "I'm sorry, do you mean Mr. Kringle was supposed to be here tonight?"

"Oh, you know him? Isn't he just the sweetest? He's so charming and **so** good with the children. They **insist** on calling him Santa even when he isn't in costume and every year he not only helps us on party night, on Christmas Eve he goes down to the warehouse and delivers all the toys to us and helped us get all the stockings stuffed and everything." Pausing for a moment, Shelley's eyes got teary. "I'm just not sure how we're going to do it without him…we've really come to rely on him."

Shelley blinked a couple times and inhaled deeply as though steeling herself fot what lay ahead.

"Oh, well. We'll make it work. We always do. One way or another we'll pull through and get it together. I mean who'd have thought I'd manage to get you here with only two hours notice? And with your own elf, no less! Someone up there is looking out for these kids. I just know it. But, poor Kristopher. Locked up so close to Christmas over something so minor! Anyways, I'm sorry to dash off, but I gotta go check and see how Kelley is doing. You can come out as soon as you're read…Santa."

As soon as Shelley had left the room, Apollo turned toward his friend.

"Truce, fast…give me one good reason not to go hunt Ema down and kill her."

"Because Santa doesn't kill people."

Apollo glanced down at his red suit and his white beard. He set his jaw. He was so angry. He couldn't believe he had actually considered asking that woman out, a woman who would lock up a man who had such an important role to play in spreading holiday cheer to a bunch of kids.

He grumbled and muttered very unjolly things making his white beard slip around on his lips till he accidentally chewed some of the false hair.

"Pyeck," he said spitting it out and readjusting the angle at which it sat upon him.

"That's what you get."

"What? Aren't **you** mad?"

"Of course I am."

"_I am, too,"_ said the Amazing Mr. Hat suddenly appearing from beneath Trucy's cape. "_But the show must go on_," the puppet said as Trucy placed a festive hat upon his head.

"And **you're** Santa remember."

"Right."

"Besides, Ema didn't know, Polly. She was just doing her job."

"She's a zealot!"

"She's your friend."

"**Not anymore,**" he announced darkly.

"This is a very bad way for you to be getting in character Polly. Think of something happy. You need to be happy."

"I can't be. I'm-well, hello there."

Apollo had spied a little boy sneaking a peek at Santa from the doorway.

"Eeep!" The boy squealed and dashed away as fast as his legs would carry him back in the direction of the common room.

Apollo smiled. "It's ok, Trucy. I'm Santa. Apollo has a hell of a day ahead of him tomorrow, but me…I'm fine."

Then he spread his arms, patted his padded belly, and chuckled, "Ho, ho, ho" in the deepest voice he could muster.

Trucy clapped. "Oh, that's much better, Polly! I knew you could do it!"

"So, little girl and wooden man have you been good this year?"

"Very good. I only pretended to be kidnapped once and only to stall a trial of the falsely accused."

Apollo grinned and no longer in Santa's voice he said, "You better remember how you did that. I might need help tomorrow."

"No, you won't. You have the magic. I know you do," and she gently took Santa's hand in hers leading him out of the room to the delighted squeals of children and adults throughout the building.


	8. 7 What Do You Really Want for Christmas

**Risenfromash:** Hello, everybody! Hope you are having an excellent holiday. _Miracle on 34__th__ Street_ was playing virtually nonstop on TV today and I grinned imaging Apollo as the lawyer, because I've always thought that both Apollo and the lawyer from that movie are such sweeties. I will try very hard to get more of this posted soon. I believe the next chapter will have Edgeworth's debut in it.

CHAPTER 7- What Do You Really Want for Christmas?

By an hour into the holiday party Apollo had been asked for, among other things, a boom box, glow-in-the-dark Playdoh, glitter nail polish, a purple teddy bear, and sea monkeys and he was starting to feel more confident that he could pull off his role as the world's favorite jolly old elf even with the teenagers who pretended not to be interested in him and then proceeded to snatch a candy cane when they thought none of their friends were looking.

"Ho, ho, ho. Have you been good?" He asked the girl seated on his lap.

"Yes, I've been good and if I hadn't been I wouldn't be dumb enough to tell you, not that it would matter that much anyways because you're not really Santa." Apollo's eyes met Trucy's. It appeared they had a nonbeliever on their hands.

"**Not **really Santa Claus?" Apollo said attempting to maintain his old man voice while infusing it with surprise.

"Yes, I know you're not the real Santa Claus, but I figure you can get a message to him." Now she was sounding more like the typical older child who recognized some of the inconsistencies in the Santa mythology but chose to believe that one of the many red suited men about town was in fact the real deal. Apollo smiled figuring he could handle this.

In a business-like tone she continued, "So, please let Santa know that for Christmas I'd like very much to be adopted." Apollo grimaced. It was probably inevitable in a house full of foster kids that someone would make this their request since deep down inside all the kids wanted it, but it surprised Apollo and Trucy that it was this child who voiced it.

"I know I've lost my cute factor now that I'm older, but I believe that I could be an asset to the right family unit. After all, I am extremely intelligent."

The man dressed as Santa examined his companion. How old was this kid exactly? She talked like one of his college professors but looked like a little kid. Her slight build made it hard for him to guess her age, but he figured she had to be ten or twelve at the most. He looked her over for other signs of strangeness, but her French braid, denim jeans and T-shirt all made her appear like a fairly average kid, though it was clear she wasn't.

"My maturity level surprises you doesn't it? That's not uncommon. I **do** have a tremendous vocabulary. All my teachers have been blown away by it, but it's not surprising. I read a lot."

"Ho, ho. Books are great," Apollo said looking to his 'elf' for reinforcement. He was unsure of how to handle this precocious child and despite her collected demeanor he was worried she might be more fragile than she let on. Being a foster kid himself he knew that some kid's coping mechanism was to try to act like a miniature adult.

"About this adoption thing…a family is a pretty tall order, even for me. It's…ah… not exactly something I can fit under the tree, you know?" And then for good measure he tacked on a couple Ho, ho, hos.

"Oh, you don't need to keep up the act, sir. As I mentioned, I **know** you're not the real Santa, I **am **intelligent, after all, and you are clearly too short, too young, and wearing a fake beard."

Apollo's eyes met Trucy's and she shrugged. It appeared to be as she said, those who chose to believe would overlook those flaws in his appearance and those who didn't wouldn't.

Trucy leaned over to the girl, "Just promise not to point it out to the others, ok? We're doing the best we can to spread some holiday cheer. Candy cane?"

"No, thank you," the girl told her. "But don't worry about it. Most of the kids here are really stupid so I'm sure they'll fall for your little act. After all, not everyone can be as intelligent as I am."

"It's not nice to call people stupid and Santa is watching…not that you believe in all that."

"Actually, I sort of do. I never used to believe. I mean what a **stupid** thing to believe in! Some guy coming down a chimney once a year to deliver presents to every kid in one night! But then I met him and now I believe in him. Problem is you're not him."

Apollo sagged a little. She must have been talking about Mr. Kringle and the recollection of the kind old man sitting in a jail cell disturbed him.

"But I thought you might know him and could pass my message along to him. He knows I'm patient so if he isn't able to deliver **this **year I would accept a copy of _Wuthering Heights_ or poetry by Elizabeth Browning."

"I like to read too, but don't you want something more fun, you know like a toy?"

The girl shrugged. "Books are fun and I won't have to share them with any of the other kids." Then lowering her voice and leaning in close to his ear she whispered, "They're not all literate, you know."

"So, that's really what you want for Christmas."

"Most definitely…but…well…"

"Yes?"

"Oh, its just there is one more thing, but you can't really do anything about it."

"Oh, what's that?"

"I'd like for you to get Santa out of jail."

Completely dropping the Santa act Apollo said, "How do you know about Mr. Kringle being in jail?"

"I heard it on the radio. I listen to Court Watch on 910 am. They were talking all about how Apollo Justice is going to make a fool of himself."

"Oh, I love when they talk about us!" Trucy gushed. "What else did they say?"

The girl turned to look at Trucy, tipped her head and narrowed her eyes as she studied her.

"Wa-a-a-it a minute. You're Trucy Wright aren't you?"

"That's right! Have you seen my show at the Wonder Bar?" Trucy asked oblivious to the fact a minor shouldn't have been able to visit a bar.

"No, I've seen you on Court TV…with Apollo Justice." The girl whirled around and yanked on Santa's beard to get a peek at his face.

"Thought so! So, Mr. Justice, how are you going to get Santa off the hook?"

Apollo stammered. He didn't know what to say. He still didn't have a plan. The girl frowned.

"Well, you better figure it out, Justice," she said as she hopped off his lap. "We kids are counting on you."

~xxxx~

On the bus ride home, Trucy drew hearts and stars in the condensation on the window while Apollo thought.

"I like that one girl." Trucy said.

"Which one. The little one who sucks her thumb?"

"No, the spunky one. The 'intelligent' one."

"Oh, **her**." Apollo had a sneaky suspicion that she believed she could come up with a better defense.

"She's an interesting one isn't she?" He mused, shaking his head. "What did Shelley say her name was?"

"Fiona, I think."

"Well, **Fiona** needs to work on her manners… but I **do** like her."

"**Daddy** would like her-"

"Trucy! She's not a stray cat. You can't bring her home and beg your dad to let you keep her. She's a person. She has more dignity than that. Besides, the Department of Child Safety doesn't just let you take a kid home. It doesn't work like that."

"It did for me."

"I know and I'm **still convinced** your dad paid somebody off somewhere in the system. That's just not how things work in the real world."

Trucy grinned broadly. She took great pride in her Daddy's exploits.

"Polly, you know what your problem is?"

"That I'm about to lose a case and I can't stand to think how the woman I like could be so stupid?"

"Besides that."

"No, Trucy enlighten me."

"You are too worried about this 'real world' of yours and how things are 'supposed' to work. You haven't embraced the fact the world is crazy and unpredictable."

Apollo grunted. "I've embraced you and your father. That's enough craziness for me."

Trucy shook her head. "We are surrounded by magic, Polly. You should know it better than anybody. I mean how many people have bracelets that double as lie detectors?"

"That's just a weird characteristic of the metal. Everyone would have one if the ore weren't so rare."

"You sound like Ema. You know Polly, I never thought about it before, but you and her are kind of alike in that way. You both like things to be logical."

"**Someone** needs to be logical. You and your dad are insane."

"But you believe in Santa."

"Yeah, I guess, but there's no way I can convince the judge. He's stupid but he wants to **look** smart."

"But, I know at least two smart people who are risking looking silly by saying they believe in him."

"You and me aren't enough."

"I don't mean you and me. I mean you and Fiona."

"Yeah, it is pretty crazy that she believes he's Santa. She even thinks he can somehow get her adopted." Apollo's voice trailed off.

"She told me that she's witnessed 'miraculous' things happen around him," Trucy said.

"Hhhhmmm," Apollo murmured.

As Trucy formed her thirteenth star on the window, she saw a banner by a cluster of stores proclaiming that they wouldn't be closing until seven p.m. on Christmas Eve.

"Look, Polly. Let's stop and get some shopping done," Trucy said hopping up and heading to the exit of the bus, but Apollo shook his head.

"No. I need to work on the case."

"Polly, it's really sweet that you want to do everything you can for Mr. Kringle, but staring at Daddy's books isn't going to help you."

"No, I'm done with logical. You're right. I need to quit worrying so much. So, no more law books. Only you and me and our friends."

A smile erupted on her face. "You have a plan."

"Yes, Trucy. I think I have a plan."


	9. Chapter 8 Crack That Whip

**Risenfromash:** I continue to struggle with the love story in this tale, but I chalk that up to the fact this is a pretty nonsensical story, even for the Ace Attorney realm. It has also confirmed for me that I do not have what it takes to write Ema/Apollo much as I do enjoy reading it. However, the trial is beginning and I have greatly enjoyed making the judge say in-character ding-a-ling comments so, hopefully that will in some small way make up for the flaws in other parts of this silly, silly story.

Hope you all had a marvelous Christmas.

CHAPTER 8- Crack that Whip

The courthouse was a buzz as Trucy and Apollo entered.

"Where's your dad?" Apollo whispered.

"Dunno."

"Wonderful," mumbled Apollo. Last night when his idea had hit him it seemed brilliant, but now in the light of day, at the courthouse, surrounded by other legal professionals and reporters, the whole scheme seemed dumb and he would have liked to have Phoenix there to support him, even though Mr. Wright had an annoying way of never actually appearing very supportive of much of anything.

"Don't worry. Daddy'll be here…unless he's out Christmas shopping. He has a tendency to procrastinate about stuff like that."

"Well, he probably doesn't need to worry about it. I overheard one of the reporter's predicting that this case will set a new all-time fastest courtroom victory record for Edgeworth."

"Oh? How short is his record?"

"Under twelve minutes."

A shiver ran down Trucy's body. She and Apollo had only seen Edgeworth in action on videotape and usually then with her father as his adversary which slowed him down and seemed to cause him a great deal of grief, but they had never realized just how efficient he could be when he wasn't having to deal with the bumbling antics of Ace Attorney Phoenix Wright.

Trucy struggled to think of something encouraging to say, but before she could decide on the right motivational quote for the situation she heard the familiar sound of Ema's 'snack-alarm.' Apollo also heard it and managed to spot her across the hallway in the throng of people queuing near the entrance to the gallery.

"There she is!" Apollo thundered. "Look at her! How can she be so calm? I should give her a piece of my mind, shouldn't I?"

"No-"

"And tell her that **Apollo Justice** doesn't stand back while innocent people are thrown in jail for no good reason. Police and detectives are **servants of the people** and she needs to act like one."

Trucy would have considered this rant more helpful if it had been directed at Edgeworth, but she was too busy attempting to hold the young attorney back to give it much thought, for even with the weight of the Amazing Mr. Hat working to her advantage she still couldn't encumber Apollo enough to prevent him from marching right up to Ema.

"Ema," he said icely completely ignoring Trucy's frantic clutching at the back of his vest.

Expressionless, Ema nodded. "Apollo. CRUNCH"

Apollo narrowed his eyes, glared into hers, and prepared himself to spew forth the venomous thoughts he had had about her all evening. Thoughts about how idiotic he had been to fall for a girl like her, because she might be cute but she was cold and heartless, the hostile exterior he had thought was just some kind of protection for a more fragile sweet soul was in fact her true personality.

Over night, he had barely slept torturing himself with the idea of Ema as a cruel woman who deliberately abused her power for no reason other than her own amusement. He had imagined her nonchalant manner as she placed Mr. Kringle in the back of a patrol car. She had probably taken delight in seeing the old man fingerprinted because it was so 'scientific.' Apollo's lips curled upward and a low growl came from deep within his gut. If she thought she could get away with this! He stepped toward her and straightened his back so they would be more on eye level with one another and then for the first time her eyes gazed down at him.

She was bringing a Snackoo to her lips in the deliberate, calculated fashion she had adopted as of late and seeing her big brown eyes and her lips reaching to grasp the corn puff Apollo's mind was once again filled with the urge to hug her close to him. To kiss her. For a brief moment all the noise of the courtroom was gone and they were just two people feeling an odd sort of electricity between their bodies.

Awkward silence passed between the two of them interrupted only by the rhythmic CRUNCH, CRUNCH of Ema's chewing as Apollo felt what he would have sworn was an odd sort of electricity pass between them.

"Hi," Apollo said. All the anger swept away and replaced by a doofy grin.

Watching from a few paces behind him, Trucy rolled her eyes at her friend's original choice of opening liner. She wasn't sure whether or not to be happy that Apollo had wimped out on chewing Ema out for her overzealous policing or to remind him that once again his brain seemed to have lost out to his hormones.

In truth, Trucy didn't want her friends to fight even over something as important as the fate of Christmas, but having gotten most of her romantic experience from watching movies and television she believed that impassioned arguments were only one smidgen away from turning into passionate make-out sessions and she was sure this would be the easiest way for Apollo and Ema to make their feelings known to each other as they were both too stubborn to actually ask one another out on a date.

While Apollo had tortured himself with planning for the next day's courtroom brawl Trucy had contemplated how to construct the perfect circumstances to make them confess their love to one another. The problem was this case was clearly interfering and so she decided regardless of the outcome that she was going to tell Mr. Kringle that he owed Apollo extra compensation because not only did he serve as his attorney but doing so messed up the only chance he had of getting a date, because as Trucy had to tell herself a million times a day she was way too young for Apollo and he was a bit too much of a fuddy-duddy…and her Daddy would have a conniption fit if she became romantically involved with someone who lived with them.

"CRUNCH Ready to see the master in action?" Ema said with the same air of awe one has before seeing their favorite musician perform.

"Yeah," Apollo said glumly and then was silent again. Trucy gave Apollo ample time to change the topic to a none case related one or to ask Ema out or give the impassioned speech he had about her duties to the public, but instead he just stood there dumbly.

Sighing Trucy mumbled to herself about what idiots the two of them were and then in a voice they could hear said, "Daddy wanted me to make sure you know that you and Edgeworth are still welcome to come to our place after the trial even if you end up being responsible for the cancellation of Christmas around the world."

"Tell Phoenix thank you."

"Does that mean you're coming?" Apollo asked.

"CRUNCH Scientifically speaking I **may** put in an appearance."

"Well, I guess I'll see you there," Apollo said as he turned away.

"Polly, what was that?" Trucy whispered to him.

"What was what?"

"That!" Trucy said pointing back in the direction of his brief conversation with Ema. "You marched over there like you were going to read her the riot act on behalf of Shelley and the kids and everyone else Mr. Kringle's arrest has messed up and you totally blew it. You must really, really like her."

"It's not that. It's just I'm a professional and I understand that she was just doing her job. She didn't fully understand the repercussions of her actions and I did look up some of those reindeer diseases last night and they could be really nasty if-"

"Oh, give it a rest. You can't stay mad at her…because you like her!"

Apollo grumbled to himself, "Trucy, this is a courthouse not a grade school and-"

His comments on how to act like an adult were cut off by the bailiff informing them it was time for the court proceedings to begin and with a nod to one another the two members of Mr. Kringle's defense team entered the courtroom. As they approached the defense desk, Prosecutor Miles Edgeworth watched them as a king might eye his subjects from atop a very high throne.

"Hello there, Mr. Justice. It is an honor to finally meet you in person."

Apollo nodded. "I feel the same-"

"Oh, Edgeworth! I'm so happy to finally get to see you do your stuff in court. Daddy always said you should patent your glare! I hope we get to see it today I-"

Miles' lips twitched a little as if fighting the urge to grin. "May we proceed?"

Apollo nodded in relief. At least once a day he found himself wishing that Trucy had a mute button.

The first witness called to the stand was Ema.

"I'm Ema Skye, a detective with the city. It was reported to me that a man was displaying reindeer in Vitamin Park without any of the proper permits, which is scientifically speaking, hazardous and in violation of multiple city statutes. So I went to the park to investigate, found the report to be true, and I had him arrested. Scientifically speaking that's one hundred percent an accurate testimony."

Seeing Edgeworth open his arms in obvious preparation for one of his dissertations, Apollo grunted. Even if he lost this case in less than twelve minutes he could already tell that it was going to feel like the world's longest case.

"I see, well there you have it judge. Detective Skye was clearly performing her duties in accordance with the law when she arrested the defendant."

"OBJECTION! There was clearly an overstepping of the city's authority in this case!"

"OBJECTION! The law states you must have a permit-"

"OBJECTION! The law also clearly states that as servants of the people part of a police officer's duty is-"

"HOLD IT! Do you suggest that it is part of a police officer's job to ignore the violation of laws? Would that keep us safe? No, that would create a breeding ground for anarchy, but perhaps a man such as yourself believes he could do a better job?"

"No, but I don't feel that the public's best interest has been served by incarcerating Mr. Kringle for such a minor infraction. It is inconsistent with the city's typical protocols."

Ema, temporarily forgotten by both attorneys, stood at the witness stand with her head bobbing back and forth between the two of them as though she were watching a tennis match. Enraptured by the drama, she stuck her hand in her pocket and pulled out a Snackoo, failing to adhere to her self-imposed rationing.

"A minor infraction?" Edgeworth ranted. "Have you not read the list of crimes the accused is guilty of? Animal Abuse-"

"HOLD IT! There has been **no** evidence that Mr. Kringle or anyone else abused those reindeer in anyway!"

"Publicly displaying an animal in such a way is a clear form of exploitation."

"That is for the judge to decide, but there are very clear differences between the definitions of abuse and exploitation and I believe even a fourth grader could understand that neither applies in this case."

"Baliff," the judge called out. "Please provide me with a dictionary so that I can read the definitions of these two terms… or find me a fourth grader."

Both lawyers groaned simultaneously as the bailiff excused himself. The interruption to there constant objections seemed to remind them that they were in the midst of listening to a testimony and they both redirected their attention to the detective.

"Detective Skye-"

"Yes?" Ema said eagerly before biting into a Snackoo.

"Can you please tell the court whether or not Mr. Kringle was accepting any form of payment from those who viewed his reindeer?"

"No. CRUNCH He was not."

Edgeworth frowned, but Apollo was sure the prosecutor had already known that was the case.

"Were there any signs that any of the animals had been the victims of maltreatment?"

"No."

Apollo smiled. Of course there wasn't.

"So there was no sign of abuse?"

"No. Not to the reindeer."

"HOLD IT!" Edgeworth shouted. "What do you mean 'to the reindeer' is it possible that there were signs of abuse to **people** there?"

Apollo grumbled under his breath. He was getting set up, but he didn't know what the trap was.

"Well, Mr. Kringle abused me."

Apollo slumped forward.

"Detective Skye, can you please enlighten the court as to what kind of abuse you endured at the hands of Mr. Kris Kringle the day of his arrest?"

"He yelled at me and threatened to break into my home."

Trucy reached over to hold Apollo upright.

"Oh, this sounds important," Edgeworth said smugly. "Will the witness please amend their testimony?"

"I'm Ema Skye, a detective with the city. It was reported to me that a man was displaying reindeer in Vitamin Park without any of the proper permits so I went to the park to investigate and found it to be true and so I had him arrested. When I told him I would be arresting him for improper conduct he yelled at me and threatened me with violence. He even tried to whip me with a whip he had there. Scientifically speaking that's one hundred percent an accurate testimony."

Apollo thought long and hard about this and decided he needed to press her statements about Mr. Kringle's behavior even though he feared what she would say.

"So, you told Mr. Kringle that you were arresting him and he responded by yelling at you, trying to whip you, and threatening you? Is that correct?"

"Yes."

"What did he yell?"

"Well, I have it recorded if you'd like to hear it."

"Yes, I believe I would."

Ema fished around in her pocket and pulled out a micro cassette recorder. She pushed a few buttons and then after a moment of static voices were heard.

_"Hello, sir. Are these your reindeer?"_

_ "Yes, indeed. Beautiful aren't they?"_

_ "Did you know that it is against city code for you to have livestock-"_

_ "Oh, I'm very sorry, but reindeer are not livestock, at least, not these reindeer. They are my mode of transportation. You see I-"_

_ "I'm sorry, it doesn't matter why you have them here or what you use them for. Scientifically speaking you are in violation and I'm going to need to-"_

_ "Miss! Miss! You must not touch that!"_

_ "Sir, I am a Detective with the police department. I have the legal right to touch whatever I need to to fulfill my duties and right now my duty is to arrest you and get your reindeer to-"_

_ "You're going to do what to my reindeer? My dear, these aren't normal animals they must be treated-"_

_ "I beg of you not to use the whip! They don't respond well to-"_

Then there was the cracking of a whip, a great deal of scuffling, and it was a full two minutes before there was any recognizable audio again.

_ "Miss, you must understand that those creatures cannot be contained I will do everything in my power to free them even if that means having to come down your chimney and have you lead me to them. They cannot be without me."_

_ "Take him away. CRUNCH."_

"Apollo that sounds bad."

"Yes, it does, but that doesn't sound like the Kris we know so there must be something we don't understand about what was going on."

Apollo had Ema play the tape one more time and then asked her to repeat her testimony. He stared at her very intently and then he caught it. She was lying about something. It was right when she said, "When I told him I was arresting him he yelled at me."

"OBJECTION! It was not when you informed him you were arresting him that he became distraught, Detective. It was at the mention of taking his reindeer. If you listen to the tape, you will clearly see that Mr. Kringle remained cooperative and jovial until you mention separating him from his reindeer."

"Ok, I guess scientifically speaking he didn't get really upset until I discussed taking his reindeer."

"And you also did something else. It sounds like you may have touched the reindeer…or the whip, perhaps?"  
"I may have, but it doesn't matter."

"Yes, I intend to prove that it does matter. In fact, this whole case rests on it, because," he pointed straight at the woman he loved "I intend to prove that it was you who cracked the whip!"

"Oh," the Judge's face lit up. "All this whip cracking makes me think of that song, how's it go, Suzy wants a pair of skates, so-and-so wants a dolly, someone wants a whip that cracks…don't they?…Or is that in Jingle Bells…?"

"I think the judge needs to go back to Christmas carol school," Apollo whispered to Trucy.

"Ooooohhhh! I must have missed that! Is it like Sunday school? Will you sign me up?"

"Trucy."

"Yes, Polly?"

"Nevermind."

"Whatever you say, Polly!"

Apollo blinked in confusion, where was he before the judge had decided to play name that tune?

"You know, Polly, if you squint your eyes and imagine the judge looking friendlier and with more round eyeballs, and in red he could look like Santa."

"I'll keep that in mind, Truce."

Edgeworth crossed his arms in impatience and said, "While this little sidebar has been fascinating I believe that we are here to decide the guilt or innocence of one Mr. Kris Kringle and I believe that it has been shown-"

"HOLD IT! Has it been shown? I still see some major contradictions. Mr. Kringle is a nice old man who comes into town only once a year-"

"You can still appear to be a nice person and be evil underneath."

"Or you can appear like a Demon and be a demon inside, too," Apollo mumbled to Trucy.

"Daddy says he's actually a big softie."

"I knew your dad was crazy," he whispered to Trucy. "I believe this can all be cleared up quite quickly with another witness, Mr. Kringle himself. If the court would allow."

"Will this take long?" The judge asked impatiently. "There's a price war between Macy's and Gimble's and it's meant that the diamond bracelet my wife wants is only-"

"While I'm sure your shopping agenda fascinates the court may I remind you that this court session is being televised?"

"Oh!" The judge hopped a little in his chair. "Snoogypoo, just ignore that last thing I said!"

Edgeworth glared at the judge and then resumed his arguing with the defense.

"Why must you prolong this trial?"

"Because I search for the truth."

"Hmph! You sound a lot like someone else…" Edgeworth scanned the courtroom to look for his friend.

"Fine. Call a witness then."

"I call Mr. Kris Kringle."


	10. Chapter 9 The Greatest Form of Payment

Risenfromash: A short chapter this time…

CHAPTER 9- The Greatest Form of Payment

"Hello," Prosecutor Edgeworth purred.

"Hello," smiled the rosy-cheeked man at the witness stand.

"Would you please introduce yourself to the court?"

"I'm Mr. Kris Kringle, but I go by many nicknames."

"Did you name yourself?"

"No, I was given my name by the staff at the orphanage. I was found abandoned as an infant and, therefore, it was left up to them to name me."

"So, you don't know where you come from."

"I come from where we all come from, love. Do you know of it, Mr. Edgeworth?"

"I prefer 'Prosecutor' Edgeworth, thank you."

"Oh, I beg your pardon. I meant no disrespect. It's amazing how fast they grow. Doesn't seem like that long ago you were just a scared little boy who wore the most adorable bowtie."

Edgeworth narrowed his eyes. How could this strange man who was clearly from out-of-town have known that in his youth he was not a cravat-wearer?

"Then again few children are," the distinguished gentleman reminded himself. "But most are also not into bowties in this day and age. This man has obviously done his research. He will be a formidable adversary."

Unfurling his finger in Mr. Kringle's direction he shouted, "What were you doing in Vitamin Park on December 23rd?"

Mr. Kringle smiled. "**Yesterday**," he said with bemusement. "I was taking a rest with my reindeer team."

"Team?"

"I'm from up north and they're the major part of my sleigh team. I really only come into town once a year, at Christmas time."

"Were you in any way receiving compensation for displaying your reindeer?"

"No, of course not! Unless you count the smiles of gleeful children, because I did get a lot of those and personally I believe there is nothing better, don't you?"

Edgeworth cringed a little making it obvious to everyone present that he was in no way a 'kid-person.'

"I even got a few grins from some older more dignified sorts, rather like yourself. You see, whether we wish to acknowledge it or not, I believe that deep down we are all the same. Our hearts all crave the same things regardless of our age, our creed, our nationality. Don't you?"

Edgeworth opened his mouth to respond, but Mr. Kringle must have considered the question to be rhetorical as he continued without pausing. "If we could all look at life with the wonderment of a child the world would be a much more peaceful, joyful place don't you agree, Prosecutor Edgeworth?"

Murmurs of agreement came from the assembled crowd and Apollo winked at Trucy. Mr. Kringle was clearly working his magic.

"And I don't mean such things as grown, professionals finding enjoyment in television programs clearly aimed at children, I mean things like taking the time to smell the roses or catch a snowflake on one's tongue. Those are precious gifts that too many people fail to enjoy."

The murmurings from the audience had now grown to a dull roar causing Edgeworth to sense that the sentiments of the gallery were turning against him. He inhaled deeply and then shouted, "Yet, you threaten a woman doing the work of maintaining public safety!"

"What?" Mr. Kringle drew back in surprise. "I did no such thing. I believe there must be some kind of mistake."

"The only mistake, sir, is believing that you are not a threat to society."

Mr. Kringle's eyes were wide and he looked at Apollo imploringly, but the sight of Apollo saturating the defense desk with his sweat was not reassuring and Mr. Kringle grabbed the side of the witness stand out of nervousness.

Edgeworth crossed his arms and nodded his head as though he had achieved victory, but Apollo was not about to give up.

"Mr. Kringle, Prosecutor Edgeworth and my colleagues are under the impression that at the time of your arrest you threatened Detective Skye with violence and may have even cracked a whip at her."

"Why I never! That whip is sacred! I would never use it in such a way!"

"If you did not crack the whip and threaten her than I trust that you can explain to the court what you were referencing here?"

Edgeworth played back Ema's tape recording and Mr. Kringle bowed his head.

"Oh, I am truly sorry about that." He said sheepishly. "I think I got a little carried away. My reindeer aren't just special to me. They are special, as is their whip. The one who holds the whip controls and commands them and, therefore, has a tremendous amount of power. I wished for the detective not to separate me from my team and also to not touch that whip as if it were to fall into the wrong hands, well let's just say it wouldn't be good."

"MR. KRINGLE! When we hear the whip cracking who cracks it?"

"I did."

Apollo gasped. His plan was backfiring!

"Let me paint a picture." Edgeworth continued. "Detective Skye, working on behalf of the city, shows up to inform you that you are acting in violation of multiple state and city ordinances and then you proceed to whip her?"

Whispering to Apollo, Trucy commented, "Isn't he making an awfully big deal of this considering he has a sister who whips **everyone**?"

"It's called irony," Apollo mumbled back to her as he contemplated how to perform damage control after this bit of harmful testimony.

Edgeworth glowered at the normally jolly fellow who now had his head hung low in shame.

"There, Judge. Now you can see Mr. Kringle for what he is-"

"HOLD IT! Mr. Kringle, did you crack the whip to hurt or scare Em-Detective Skye?"

"No, of course not, but I'm still terribly sorry I did it if it frightened her. It never even occurred to me she might see it as a threatening action."

Edgeworth clucked his tongue in impatience at this latest objection. "Well, Mr. Kringle, if you did **not** intend the whip crack to be a threat, why exactly were you doing it? I'm sure **everyone** is interested in knowing."

"Does he have to talk to him like he's a little kid?" Trucy asked loudly enough that Edgeworth was sure to overhear.

"I cracked it as a signal to my reindeer. It means they should…run."

"Run?"

"In your line of work I think you would have a fancier term for it. Perhaps, something like 'escape apprehension.'"

"I see. You were signally your 'team' to run so as not to get caught."

"Exactly. It's something I've worked hard to train them to do. It's very important that they manage to get away to where they can fly to safety."

Both attorneys gripped their benches for support. Did he just say 'fly'?

"Trucy, please tell me he didn't just say that his reindeer fly."

"Ok, Polly. He did **not** say his reindeer can fly."

Apollo felt the all too familiar squeezing of his bracelet and groaned.

"Why me?" he mumbled, but his self-pitying grumblings were lost in the roaring laughter of the trial watchers.


	11. Chapter 10 A Blessing in Disguise

Risenfromash: One challenge of writing a court case in the Ace Attorney world is that their courtrooms operate nothing like a real criminal trial in the U.S. does and I constantly find myself wanting to proclaim whether a witness is a witness fro the defense or the prosecution and things of that nature when none of that occurs. Also, I have to wonder if at this point the jurist system would be in use for all trials or just certain ones. I decided maybe it is only utilized in cases where the death penalty is a possible punishment or at least that's what I'm using as my excuse for not having it some into play here. Though, I think it would be much easier to believe that Kris is found not guilty if it were a trial by the jurist system.

CHAPTER 10- A Blessing in Disguise

Following the bombshell that Mr. Kringle claimed to own flying reindeer, the judge called a brief recess in an effort to calm the crowd and allow the attorneys to regroup. Sitting on a bench outside the courtroom during the recess, Apollo ran his hands through his hair wondering how he had ever gotten himself into this mess. Allowing Kris Kringle to take the stand had backfired and in a big way.

Trucy sat next to him rubbing his back and murmuring to him that everything would be ok.

"Yeah, ok, Trucy. I get it. I know the world's not ending, but what the hell am I supposed to do? I've got a client who claims to have flying reindeer. That's fine to say to a little kid, but not on the stand in court in front of the judge."

"Polly, the judge is an idiot. He's probably Googling reindeer right now."

"Yeah, probably, but that doesn't change the fact I've just lost this case. My client has been shown to be a head case."

"Apollo Justice?" The young man heard a familiar voice call his name.

"Spark?" Apollo said in surprise. "What are you doing here? I thought you liked **breaking** a story," he said sarcastically whilst motioning in the direction of the small army of news crews and television cameras covering the courtroom.

Spark surveyed the area and then leaned forward and whispered, "I do. That's why I'm here. There's a rumor going around that your Santa's the real deal. Justice prevails; Christmas is Saved ENDQUOTE."

Apollo shook his head. "Sorry to disappoint you, but I don't think that's gonna happen. It'd take a miracle at this point."

"Hhhmmm." Spark nervously yanked on his tie. "I've got a nose for news and it's itching and twitching."

"I thought newspaper men were all about the facts. Just cause he claims his reindeer can fly doesn't mean they can."

Tugging at his collar as beads of sweat formed on his brow, Mr. Brushel fished around in his pocket and produced a document. He handed it to Apollo, but the attorney only looked at it long enough to see that it was showing that some evidence had been stolen.

"I don't have time for another case!" Trucy, always interested in taking cases so as to make sure they could keep the bills paid, snatched the paper out of Apollo's hand as he ranted.

"Spark, I've got my hands full, in case you didn't noti-…UGH! Trucy, what is it?" Apollo barked. Trucy was repeatedly poking him in the back and hopping up and down excitedly.

"Look, if this is about the Gavinners or Edgeworth's glare or the amazing Mr. Hat I'm going to make you stay out here for the rest of the trial, I swear."

Unhampered by Apollo's grouchiness, Trucy giggled merrily. "Oh, Polly, you're so silly! I wouldn't bother you about the Gavinners at a time like this! It's just, I think Spark just delivered us our miracle!"

"Reporter Shares Vital Tip with Ace Attorney. ENDQUOTE."

"Look at what's been reported missing!" Trucy said thrusting the paper a millimeter from Apollo's nose. Apollo grabbed the paper muttering to himself why he couldn't have a normal paralegal.

"Isn't it great, Polly! They got away! All eight reindeer have gone missing! Now you just need to get Kringle freed and Christmas will be saved!"

"Trucy, this **isn't **good news! Now they're going to accuse Mr. Kringle of stealing them away from animal control."

"Santa Suspect Behind Bars for Entire Reindeer Incarceration. ENDQUOTE."

"See, Polly. Spark is right. No one is going to think Mr. Kringle snuck out of jail, freed the reindeer, and then snuck back into jail. It's not logical."

"Since when does that bother you?"

"I want an exclusive!" Spark proclaimed ignoring Apollo's grumblings.

"Spark, I can't believe you! Just because they disappeared doesn't mean they flew away!"

The reporter quit messing with his tie for a moment and said, "**Eyewitness** Reveals Truth About UFOs. ENDQUOTE."

~xxxx~

Returning to the courtroom, Mr. Kringle once again took the stand. Apollo wished that he had been given the opportunity to talk to his client during the recess, but it had been much too brief. As Apollo entered the courtroom with Trucy close on his heals he thought how much Edgeworth resembled a statue. He was so pale and so still with his arms crossed and his nose pointed skyward,

"What are you going to do, Polly?"

"What your dad would do."

"Trust in your client?"

"No, bluff like crazy."

"Judge," Edgeworth began, "I believe that before the recess we all heard Mr. Kringle proclaim that his reindeer aren't just special but capable of flight-"

"Yes," the Judge answered, "and during the recess I did a little research. Apparently, they aren't supposed to be able to do that."

Edgeworth's body quaked, the judge's foolishness causing him to lose his austere demeanor.

"Why should it surprise me after all these years?" He thought to himself. "What a buffoon!" And then composing himself once again, he proceeded to say aloud, "Your 'research' is very correct, your honor. Only an insane person would believe that reindeer can fly. Therefore, it brings into question Mr. Kringle's mental health. As he seems to be in earnest, I believe we must declare a mistrial and have him evaluated immediately for other such delusions. He may in fact not only be a threat to society but to himself as well. It may be that this intervention on our part is a blessing in disguise."

"Oh, that Edgeworth!" Trucy shouted balling her fists. "Santa is not a threat. He's just a nice old man and if he says his reindeer can fly than they can. I believe."

She looked out toward the audience hoping that someone else, even one other person would concur, but the gallery remained silent.

"Gees, tough crowd," she commented to Apollo.

"Trucy, I hate to tell you this, but you're used to playing to a liquored up house."

Trucy gasped, "Polly, are you saying the people at the Wonder Bar only like my show because they're drunk?"

"No, but it helps."

"So, you're saying they should turn the courthouse water fountains into beer taps?"

"Well, I could use a drink about **now**."

"You sound like Daddy."

Apollo rolled his eyes and returned to focusing on the case and found that Edgeworth had been staring at them the entire time.

"Mr. Justice, are you and your assistant completely finished, because **I** for one would like to proceed. Wouldn't you?"

Abashed, Apollo nodded.

"All I'm saying," Trucy shouted again. "Is that I believe!"

"Please, my dear girl," Edgeworth said. "Do not make us have to have you examined as well."  
"HOLD IT! The only person whose head needs to be examined is the Judge's, if he believes he can end this trial now because it is…er…clearly premature."

Trucy gasped. "Polly, you just insulted the judge!"

Apollo grimaced, "That wasn't what I-"

"Mr. Justice," roared the Judge. "I suggest that you do not insinuate that there is anything wrong with my sense or you will be punished severely."

Cursing under his breath, Apollo attempted to resume his composure.

"Your honor, what I was **trying** to say is that we must continue this trial or a grave injustice will occur."

"OBJECTION! Why must we continue this charade? We have a defendant who is clearly mentally disturbed."

"I don't believe that he is."

"Oh? And I suppose your reindeer also fly, Mr. Justice?"

"I don't own reindeer. I **walk** to work."

Edgeworth laughed. "Ok, then. Why don't you tell us why a person who claims to have flying reindeer is worthy of our trust."

Apollo had reached his limit of being polite and professional against Edgeworth's pretentiousness.

"Normally such a statement **would** as you have stated make a person question their sanity, but not in this case."

"And why pray tell is this case so unique?" Edgeoworth mused in a sing-songy voice.

With rage at the prosecutor's treatment of both him and his client, Apollo unleashed his chords of steel.

"Because **this man**," Apollo said pointing directly at Mr. Kringle, "**is** Santa Claus."


	12. Chapter 11 Moonlight and Chinchillas

Risenfromash: Writing a courtroom comedy is tough as I don't want the entire chapter to be dialogue and I don't want all the dialogue to be the testimony and the attorney's comments about it. In the game we have the blue text and Mia, Trucy, or Maya's comments to break it up a little. This is challenging to reproduce, but I'm trying and it's making me feel a little bit better about my courtroom writing. I may be ready to tackle the second half of _Welcome to the Family,_ which I abandoned to work further along in the story arc so as to avoid having to write a trial, but I really, really want to get back to writing _Nature of Devotion_ and _So Much Left Unsaid_ first. Sigh, too many ideas, too little time.

CHAPTER 11- Moonlight and Chinchillas

"What kind of a costume is that?" Trucy asked staring at the person at the witness stand.

"It's a bee keeper's suit, I think. Either that or a weird fencing get-up," Apollo mumbled to Trucy.

"You'll need to remove your mask," the judge said.

"Only too happy to," the animal control officer said as she removed her helmet. "But I wouldn't have had to wear it if those whippersnappers over there weren't in such a damned hurry. I was attending to the bees and I had to drop everything to come and testify. Of course, if I'd known my Edgeypoo was here I would have taken some time to dress up. I just hate having you see me like this. Have you missed me? I've missed you, my Edgeypoopoo."

The prosecutor turned pale. "Old Bag?"

"Of course, sweetheart. Who'd ya think it was? I gotta work you know, and animal control has an excellent benefits package, full dental and vision even, though I'm not wild about all the weird critters we have to care for. No one told me I was gonna have to be handling bees and flying deer and bald eagles and the like."

"I'm sorry, what was that?" Edgeworth questioned.

"Bees, bees, I tell you! With the decline in the bee population people have taken to smuggling them and bootleggin' honey! Can you believe that? Never thought I'd see the day. Why back in my day we smuggled stuff worth smugglin' like rum and foreign currency and naughty magazines and the like, but now bees and honey! And I hear there are butterfly smugglers! Next thing you know they'll have me running all over town with a butterfly net! Oh, well, it beats working at Global. Things have been going downhill with them lately. That's what happens when you start running out of colors and metals to name your shows after. But I told them they wouldn't have to pay me a lot for my ideas. I'd just be thrilled to see them used. You see, I have an idea for a show called the Pink Prosecutor and it's based on you, Edgeypoo! It's all about this young, handsome prosecutor who is part robot and madly in love with an older, more experienced woman."

Old Bag clasped her hands together and blushed as she continued to snow the court over with an avalanche of words that came ever faster.

"Let me get this straight." Apollo whispered to Trucy while Old Bag's onslaught continued. "**That** woman has a crush on **Edgeworth**."

"Yup. Though I just really can't figure out what she and Ema see in him."

"Ema?"

"Well, yeah. You knew that didn't you, Polly? She likes watching him in court-"

"I thought she admired him!"

Giggling, Trucy said, "She **does**, Polly. That's the point."

"Oh, that's just disgusting!"

"You shouldn't be upset about it. She's attracted to good lawyers and beings as you're way better than Klavier, that's an in for you."

Apollo grunted. "Can we maybe talk about this later?"

"I dunno. It looks to me like we have plenty of time right now." Trucy said pointing to Edgeworth who was attempting in vain to get the witness to stop talking, but his shouts of "Madam," "Ms.," and "Ahem" were entirely ignored.

"**OLD BAG!** For Pete's sake! Enough! We are in court!"

The old woman batted her eyes at Edgeworth. "Oh, I just **loooove** hearing you say my name, Edgeypoo!"

Edgeworth let out an irritated groan and then began his questioning.

"So, is it correct to assume that as of yesterday you had in your care eight reindeer?"

"Yes, and beautiful creatures they were, too. Though a mite on the skittish side if I do say so myself. I guess I can understand that, given their circumstances, though. Not like my cousin. He's just so skittish! I told him that he needs to grow a backbone, but he's never sure of himself, always jumping at every shadow-"

"Ms. Old Hag, please just answer the questions that I ask!"

"Anything for you, my darlin'," Old Bag said, winking flirtatiously.

"Oh, my eyes are burning!" Apollo moaned.

Trucy swatted him. "That's not nice, Polly."

Apollo shrugged and grinned. He was always happy to see someone giving the prosecution a hard time, even if it meant his turn was next.

"And, Ms. Old-"

"Call me Wendy!"

A series of almost inaudible groans issued from the prosecutor, but he forced himself to smile and then continued.

"Alright. **Wendy**, are those reindeer still being held at the animal control facility where you work?"

"No, they are not."

Edgeworth smiled thinking he had managed to get her to answer a question concisely but then she opened her mouth and the torrent of words rained down upon the courtroom once again.

"And it wasn't like I was slacking or anything. I was doing my job. I had to go check on the chinchillas. It was chinchilla time. Those furry little buggers need a lot of care and we have appointed times we take care of each of the animals and it was **not** reindeer time, so nobody better try and blame this little fiasco on me, because it has nothin' to do with me other than that I saw them up in the air-"

"I'm sorry." Edgeworth said interrupting her ramblings. "You saw what?"

"I saw the deer up in the air flying out of the field they were grazing in. Damnedest thing. Wish I'd had a camera. Then I could've gotten myself a million bucks, I bet. Never have to work a day again in my life, but, of course, I don't have a camera because my husband is too cheap to get me a cell phone with a camera like everyone else. I'm stuck back in the stone ages with a phone I'm sure the dinosaurs used. I'm so glad I'm not with Global anymore. You know what their next show is going to be? Prehistoric Ninja! Well, that's just stupid if you ask me. They're just trying to cater to-"

Edgeworth raised his hands to signal her to shut up.

"In other words, you were caring for the chinchillas and you saw what you **believe **were the reindeer flying away?"

"Yes, but I **don't believe**. **I know what I saw.** There were all eight of 'em plain as the nose on my face, which isn't plain at all, but you know what I mean don't you Edgeypoo? I knew you would, because-"

"Where were you when you saw them?"

"With the chinchillas in the small mammals room, not to be confused with the medium mammals room. That's where we've got the monkeys and the iguana, because he's too big for the reptile room. Snakes can curl up, but iguanas can't. No way, no how. So, I said to my boss, "Put him in with the mon-'"

"Yes, yes. So you saw them through a window."

"Yes. The moonlight was blocked out and I looked up because I didn't think there was supposed to be an eclipse and there they were eight tiny reindeer against the moon. Most amazing thing I've ever seen, next to your beautiful face-"

"I have no further questions!" Edgeworth shouted, clearly embarrassed by the amorous undertones of her testimony.

"I don't have any questions either," Apollo said happily and Old Bag reluctantly left the witness stand, her eyes never once straying from their examination of Edgeworth's body. After she exited the courtroom, the prosecutor quivered in disgust.

"Your honor, that woman is crazy."

"Clearly," the judge agreed. "About **you**. Wahahahah."

His guffaws were joined by those of the assembled crowd, making even Apollo Justice feel a little bad for Miles Edgeworth.

"I call the next witness, Detective Ema Skye," Edgeworth announced crankily.

"Ah, didn't we already receive her testimony?" the judge asked. "I get lost sometimes, but I could have sworn-"

"Yes, your honor, we did, but **now** she must give testimony regarding the disappearance of Mr. Kringle's reindeer."

"Oh, oh, yes. Of course."

Ema entered and took her spot at the stand.

"Please reintroduce yourself to the court."

"I am Detective Ema Skye. I just returned from investigating the disappearance of evidence in this case."

"And what was that evidence, specifically?"

"Eight reindeer. They were in the custody of animal control grazing in a fenced-in field. They went missing during the graveyard shift when Wendy Old Bag was working."

"And do you know that she claims to have seen them outlined by the moon in the air, as though flying?"

"Yes, she reported that to me as well, and, as that is scientifically impossible, I have investigated."

"And?"

"They have clearly vanished."

"So they were stolen during the night."

"Yes. It would certainly appear so."

"Is there a gate through which they could have exited?"

"No. The field is enclosed. The only entry to or from the field is through the barn."

"I see. So someone could have opened the barn."

"Yes."

Edgeworth smiled. "Well, there you have it. I think we have another crime to add to the long collection of indictments Mr. Kringle is collecting."

"HOLD IT! **Did** someone open the barn? Is there any evidence to suggest that?"

"No. There is not. A security camera pointed at the barn showed no such activity, scientifically speaking."

"Then how do you explain the disappearance of the reindeer?"

"I can't."

Apollo's bracelet squeezed so dramatically that he almost squealed.

"Em-Detective Skye, I believe that you know something you're not telling us."

"Like what?"

"Like I believe you have a theory for how they got out of the fenced field."

"I do not have any evidence that suggests a theory."

His bracelet squeezed again.

"Oh, but you do! And I **demand** that you share it with the court."

"But-"

"Tell us what scientific evidence you have that Mr. Kringle's reindeer can fly!"

Ema gulped, "Oh, alright. But science can be misleading. I mean you have to take all evidence in context…"

"**What** did you find at the animal control facility?"

"I examined the field where the reindeer were held. Other people were making jokes that they must have been teleported out of the field." Ema nervously fumbled around in her pocket and brought forth a snack size bag of Snackoos and bit into one. "CRUNCH But I have no scientific evidence that teleportation is possible at this time. Our technology has not-"

"**What did you find, Ema**?"

"CRUNCH CRUNCH CRUNCH" Ema stared off into space as if deep in thought.

Apollo pointed right at her. "Detective Skye, what did you find when you examined that field?"

Startled by his sudden use of his chords of steel, she dropped the Snackoo, hid her face in her hands, and mumbled.

"I found hoof prints."

"OBJECTION! Of course, she found hoof prints, it has been established that the reindeer were grazing in the field prior to their disappearance," Edgeworth stated dismissively.

"HOLD IT! Detective Skye, was there **something special** about these prints?"

"Yes, if you investigate them scientifically to calculate the gait and speed of the deer you find that they appear to have been running very fast."

"OBJECTION! Is it strange that wild animals would run?"

"OBJECTION! And what else is strange about the prints?"

"CRUNCH CRUNCH"

"Please tell the court."

"As their speed CRUNCH increases their depth also increases, as a scientific mind would expect…CRUNCH"

"And then do they do something a scientific mind would **not** expect?"

"Yes."

"And what is that?"

"I have no scientific explanation for the anomaly."

"Perhaps we do," Apollo said.

"CRUNCH"

Apollo looked imploringly into the eyes that made him melt. He and Ema stared at one another for several moments as he tried with all his might to say with his eyes all the thoughts he had in his head, "Come on, Ema. Be honest. I'm making a total fool of myself because of what **you** did by arresting this poor guy, so help me out a little. Tell us what you found. Do it for me. You know I like you. I know you do. I more than like you. I love you and your damn munching and your infuriating infatuation with Edgeworth and logic and science, but you can be as logical as you want **after** this. Just please, please, please tell the court what you found."

Ema took a deep breath and an especially large bite of Snackoo and then said, "They disappear abruptly as though each reindeer took a running leap…but I have been unable to find any other prints. CRUNCH Scientifically speaking, I don't know where they landed."

The judge and Edgeworth gasped and Trucy applauded.

"Oh, Apollo! You've done it! You've proved reindeer can fly!"

"Not **reindeer**, Trucy. **These reindeer**, because **they are Santa's reindeer**."


	13. Ch12: Not Just another Guy in a Red Suit

Risenfromash: A super short chapter this time. Thank you for hanging in there with this story even though the holiday season has winded down. Douglas Adams is quoted as saying, "I love deadlines. I love the whooshing sound they make as they fly by." God, I loved that man's sense of humor.

CHAPTER 12- Not Just Another Guy in a Red Suit

Back at the stand stood the defendant appearing far less concerned than he had when he previously was testifying.

"Mr. Kringle, do you own flying reindeer?"

"I prefer to think of myself as their guardian or caretaker," the gentleman responded with a smile, "But, yes, flying reindeer share my residence."

"Do you own a red suit?"

"Yes."

Edgeworth clapped and then stabbed his finger into the air. "OBJECTION! I applaud your theatrics, Mr. Justice, but you, too, wear a red suit and I'm not about to sit on **your** lap. What exactly are you hoping to prove with this line of questioning?"

"Prosecutor, I think that is my job!" The judge shouted indignantly. "I mean, I'm pretty sure it is."

The judge appeared befuddled for a moment or two before continuing, "So…anyways…uh…Defense Attorney Justice, what **are** you hoping to prove with this line of questioning?"

Apollo smiled. He had expected this and he was ready for it. "I am working to establish my claim that this man," he said, dramatically extending his adorned arm in Kris Kringle's direction, "Is Santa Claus and to do so I will systematically show that he meets a list of criteria for Santa."

"OBJECTION!" Edgeworth was tremoring with irritation. "As I have **already** pointed out owning a red suit does not make you the legendary character of Santa. **Santa is a myth!**"

"OBJECTION! Are you prepared to prove that Santa does **not** exist? Millions of people the world over believe that he does and evidence of his existence is left in their homes annually. Are your ready to argue that it is all a conspiracy?"

Edgeworth gripped the desk. "I can't believe he's doing this," the prosecutor thought to himself. "He's really going all out. This boy is even more insane than I first surmised! He is risking his entire career for this man and his damned reindeer! I don't know whether to admire his gusto or warn him he'll end up like Wright if he isn't careful."

While Edgeworth took a few moments to silently consider the plight of his disbarred best friend, Apollo Justice continued to plunge forward with his explanation of his current line of questioning.

"While I agree that wearing and/or owning a red suit, even one trimmed in white fur, does not make one Santa Claus, **in combination** with a number of other **very specific **traits and characteristics it becomes an integral part of the well-established description of Santa Claus. As you will see here…"

Trucy stepped out from behind the defense desk and the Amazing Mr. Hat popped out holding in his hands a large sheet of paper with items written on it in red permanent marker.

"As you see here, my assistant, Trucy, and I have created a list of these things. Any courtroom observer can see for themselves that his appearance meets a number of them. Indisputable are the rosy-cheeks, large round belly, and-"

"OBJECTION!" Edgeworth shouted. He had been patient with the youth and now he was done. He considered this all far too ridiculous to be allowed to continue n a court of law. The prosecutor looked imploringly at the judge waiting for him to speak up and acknowledge the absurdity of what was happening, but he failed to do so.

Edgeworth sighed, "Oh, never mind, but I would like to go on the record at this juncture as saying that I object to this **entire** **perverse** line of questioning. However, I would go hoarse if I kept shouting out every objection I have. Therefore, I will save my voice for the moments when Justice is being especially ridiculous."

"Oh, that sounds like an excellent plan, prosecutor," the judge said as Trucy nodded her approval.

"Thanks, Prosecutor Edgeworth that will really save time!" She said sincerely as Apollo went to stand beside the Amazing Mr. Hat so he could more easily reference their list of characteristics.

"Now, allow me to resume," stated the determined defense attorney. "Do you deliver presents on Christmas Eve?"

"Yes."

"Do you enjoy eating cookies?"

Edgeworth's eyes rolled and his nostrils flared, but he kept to his word and remained silent.

"Of course," Mr. Kringle chuckled. "Who doesn't like a tasty treat now and again, especially at the holidays? I love cookies, but I also enjoy pie, though I'm not given that nearly as often."

The judge nodded, "My wife makes the most amazing cherry pie. I'll tell the grandkids to leave you a slice-"

"OBBBBBBBJECTION!" Edgeworth bellowed practically climbing over the prosecution desk. "Judge, you must be impartial! What you just said insinuates that you **too** are suffering from the defense team's delusion that this man is Santa Claus." Edgeworth was seething, his words stretching to sound like the hissing of a snake.

The judge blinked and said, "Oh! I acknowledge your objection. Mr. Kringle, please forget I said anything. Just act surprised when you find pie at their house, ok?"

Trucy giggled and whispered to Apollo, "I think it's working."

"Yes, I think it is," he whispered back. "But now it is time for the next part of our strategy to come into play."

Having finished establishing that Mr. Kringle was "Santa-like" with the use of his list, Apollo returned to behind the defense desk and addressed the courtroom.

"As you can plainly see Mr. Kringle has said he has a number of Santa's qualities, but I acknowledge that **his** word alone is not enough to make us recognize him as the one and only true Santa Claus. Therefore, I will be calling witnesses who will affirm beyond a shadow of a doubt that this man is Santa."


	14. Chapter 13: Risking Looking Stupid

Chapter 13- Risking Looking Stupid

First, Apollo had a number of volunteers and staff members from A Children's Place take the stand to affirm the kinds of things Mr. Kringle did there every year around Christmas time.

Edgeworth deliberately yawned during these testimonies. "Mr. Justice, I'm not even going to dignify this with an objection."

Apollo nodded unsure of what to say but determined not to have the "demon prosecutor" distract him from the momentum he was building. Next was Shelley Johnston and she was no stranger to giving testimonies. She often appeared at public hearings advocating for children or giving testimony in court regarding the aftermath of neglect or abuse.

"Hello, can you please tell the court your name and occupation?"

"I'm Shelley Johnston, I'm a social worker and the Operational Manager at A Children's Place which provides temporary housing for foster children and other children in state protective custody."

"I see, and how long have you been in that role?"

"I've been at the home for twelve years, but I've only been the Operational Manager for about the last seven years."

"And does the defendant, Mr. Kris Kringle ever volunteer or work at your facility?"

"He volunteers. He's never received any pay or compensation of any kind from us. We're on a very tight budget as you can imagine."

"And what does Mr. Kringle do at your facility?"

"He is Santa Claus. He listens to the children's requests for presents and he helps distribute gifts. He's only in town right around Christmas time. The rest of the year he lives far away."

"There seems to be some confusion regarding Mr. Kringle's identity. What do you call him?"

"Well, usually I just call him Santa, but as a matter of formality all his paperwork says Kris Kringle."

"So, you, in fact, believe he is Santa?"

"Yes."

"OBJECTION! I must interrupt here to question your motives, Ms. Johnston is it? How can you claim to provide a stable home for children when you foster such fantasies?"

The woman turned her head and glowered at the prosecutor. "We **aren't** a stable home for the children. That's the whole point. They lack a stable home so we are a safe place for them to be, so they can get to be children."

"And you believe that part of them being a child is to believe in Santa Claus?"

"I do. Every child should get the thrill of receiving a toy from Santa Claus on Christmas morning. Kris Kringle makes that dream come true for our residents."

"But to-" Edgeworth was cut short by the advocate as she said, "Santa is love and exemplifies the spirit of the season and that is extremely important for the children."

Apollo nodded and smiled. "No further questions, your honor."

As Ms. Johnston exited the courtroom Edgeworth addressed the judge. "While this has been a fascinating look at Mr. Kringle's altruism, I fail to see what pertinence any of this has on this case."

"Oh, don't worry, Edgeworth," Apollo responded suddenly brimming over with cockiness. "Don't worry, I'm sure you'll catch up soon."

The older prosecutor glared at Apollo and then scanned the courtroom. "Wright…" he murmured under his breath as Defense Attorney Justice called the next witness. Edgeworth couldn't be sure that Phoenix had anything to do with this, but he felt something reminiscent of those times earlier in his career when the now disbarred attorney would orchestrate a remarkable turnabout much to the chagrin of the prosecution.

Miles Edgeworth had heard that Apollo Justice had amazing skills, though it was difficult for the cravat wearing defense attorney to imagine that anyone else could possess the determination that Wright had and Edgeworth also knew Wright had gotten some very special assistance from the Fey sisters. Yet there the young man was giving his all to get this man freed from jail as though his own life depended on it.

"The defense calls Fiona Hanson to the witness stand."

The brown haired girl with the French braid walked into the courtroom with her head held high as confident as a seasoned lawyer.

"Hello," she said as soon as she reached the stand. "What can I do for you?"

"Please state for the record your name and how you know the defendant?"

Edgeworth added, "That means the man on trial, Mr. Krin-"

"I know what a defendant is!" The young lady remarked haughtily. "I'm very well educated, or at least as well educated as you can be when the government is paying the tab, but I **should** be able to get some scholarships like Mr. Justice did. I'm going to be an attorney, too."

"Really?" Apollo grinned. He tried to think back to when he was her age and remember if he had already developed the desire by that point. He wasn't sure that he had, but he had also forgotten how old Fiona was. In fact, he often found himself thinking of her as a forty-year old midget more than a child.

"So, about Mr. Kringle. I know him because he comes to the home every winter to help out. Most kids only meet him once, because A Children's Place is a halfway house, you know **temporary** housing, but I've…well I've spent several Christmases there and he has always come to our holiday party. He wears his Santa suit and sometimes he brings his reindeer and he always stuffs my stocking so that when I wake up on Christmas it's full of cool stuff."

"What kind of cool stuff?"

"Markers and notepads and bookmarks and things."

"No toys?"

"I'm not that into toys. I did ask for a yo-yo one year and he got it for me, but usually I just ask for-"

"OBJECTION! I fail to see the relevance of this little girl's-"

"HOLD IT!" All eyes turned to the girl at the stand whose arm and pointer finger were aimed directly at the prosecutor. "I resent that."

"Oh?" Edgeworth mused, obviously entertained by the girl's gumption.

"Yes, I prefer to be called a 'young lady'. 'Little girls' are **little**, for one thing, and usually far more foolish, for another."

Hearing his sister's most commonly used word the prosecutor did a double take at the child. If her hair had been lighter, she could have been Franziska's daughter or cousin. The two had a similar intensity in their eyes, but Edgeworth tried to shake the thought out of his head, "My brain must be playing tricks on me, because she called my verbiage foolish, and why shouldn't she? It's not like Franziska has a copyright on the use of the term."

"Alright, **young lady**. I still maintain that I don't see what this has to do with the case."

"I'm surprised at you. What I believe Mr. Justice is trying to do is support his claim that Mr. Kringle is Santa Claus by showing he doesn't fall into the typical traps a faux Santa would like giving children the wrong presents and stuff. For example, if you gave me one of those ugly fashion dolls I'd just toss it back at you. I have no use for such things, but I would gladly accept a copy of _Jane Eyre_ or _Frankenstein_. I hear they are quite good. I enjoy the classics."

Unlike when Old Bag had been at the stand, Edgeworth found himself enraptured by the lengthy testimony and didn't make any attempts at halting her comments.

"Really? Aren't you a little young?" he asked tapping his forearm, as he tended to do when deep in contemplation.

"Age is a state of mind and I'm **much** older than my physical body. That's what happens when you're abused. They say your innocence is stolen, but it's really your youth. When they say your innocence is gone it makes it sound like you're guilty too, as though you had culpability in the actions taken against you and, of course, you have none. Absolutely no control. You're just a kid…I was just a kid," Fiona said fighting back tears.

Trucy looked at Apollo with concern. "Apollo, what exactly happened to Fiona?"

"I don't know, but I never meant for anything like this to get dredged up. I better get her off the stand. I don't want her to have to-"

"Justice!" Growled Edgeworth. "**This is low!** I can't believe you would **exploit** an orphan like this-"

"It was my idea to testify," Fiona said.

"What?" Edgeworth said turning back towards her, a look of horror painted on his face.

"Yes, I'm very eager to be of assistance to Mr. Kringle. He makes a lot of the younger kids really, really happy and I remember what it was like the first time I met him. It was right after I had been removed from my home. I wanted to help and I wanted to get the opportunity to thank you, Prosecutor Edgeworth."

"What? Thank me? For what?" The normally calm and collected prosecutor was now feeling very discombobulated.

"You prosecuted my parents and made sure they had the book thrown at them for what they did to me and my little brother. So, thank you."

Edgeworth tipped his head slowly in acknowledgement of her appreciation as he mentally scrolled through the database of his brain trying to piece together what case she could possibly be referring to.

"I knew you'd be here. I saw you on T.V. and recognized you immediately. There aren't that many men that can pull off a magenta suit."

Edgeworth beamed. "You like my suit?"

"Yes, red-purple is one of my favorite shades on the Munsell color system."

The prosecutor drew back in shock. "You've taken color theory?"

"You don't need to take an entire class to learn your colors. I'm intelligent. I figured it out on my own by reading some books."

The judge blinked a few times in confusion. "Wait? What are you talking about? Prosecutor Edgeworth's suit is **clearly** pink!"

Fiona rolled her eyes. "What kind of fool do you think I am?"

"I'm so-so-rry what did you say?" Edgeworth asked, transfixed by the child's authoritative expression.

"I said I'm no fool. I know my colors. Your suit is magenta…and much better tailored than Mr. Justice's."

Edgeworth, his need to constantly object to everything seemingly forgotten, leaned against his desk as though at a tiki bar on a warm beach.

"Polly, what's happening?" Trucy whispered to her friend.

"I got no clue."

"You mean this isn't part of your plan?"

"Not exactly, but…" Apollo's voice trailed off. He wished Mr. Wright were there at the desk so he could perhaps explain to Trucy and him what was going on.

Edgeworth spoke slowly as though in a philosophical debate with a fellow scholar.

"So, let me understand your testimony. You say that you are an intelligent-"

"I don't just say it. I am. I can provide you with test scores and letters from my teachers that state I am exceptionally gifted."

Smirking Edgeworth said, "I believe that you are. That is why I am puzzled by your assessment that the defendant **is** Santa Claus. I think we would both agree that science and logic would more than suggest the contrary to be the case."

Fiona giggled. "Do you believe everything has a logical explanation? There is a mysticism to the world don't you think? If all that existed was science where do you believe Shakespeare's muse came from? I don't care what anyone thinks. **Mr. Kringle is Santa Claus.** We all call him Santa. He has a suit, he has reindeer, he brings us gifts and he isn't a staff member. Nobody's paying him to do any of it. He's just a guy who cares about me and the other kids. I've read a lot of books, but what makes the good ones good is the imagination of the authors. It's the magic, the fantasy. So, I'll risk looking stupid and say it. I believe in Santa Claus and I challenge you to prove that Mr. Kringle isn't Santa."

Apollo gulped.

"Polly, isn't that what they call hounding?"

"It would be if it were the other way around, but I don't think a witness can get in trouble for hounding an attorney…and Edgeworth doesn't seem to mind."

Trucy nodded. "I know. Do you think he's coming down with the flu or something? Maybe I should feel his forehead."

"I have no further questions, your honor," Edgeworth said as though this shouldn't come as a great surprise to everyone.

"What?" the Judge shouted.

"I admire this **young lady's** opinion and I find no flaws in her logic. From **her** perspective she has determined that Mr. Kringle is Santa Claus."

"Oh my God! Polly did Edge-"

Nodding, Apollo with his mouth wide open from the shock said, "I think so. You better pinch me, Truce."

"Your honor, this case could be prolonged indefinitely with every individual in town weighing in, but in essence both sides agree on several facts. The defendant lacked the proper permits to have livestock in a public park. We disagree on several other points, but it does appear he has a striking resemblance to the **mythical** character of Santa Claus. Perhaps it is this similarity that led him to believe he did not need the permits, but that is irrelevant. What is important is that while I can prove that he failed to obtain those permits I am unable to prove he abused the reindeer, as they have gone missing and Ms. Detective Skye has confided in me that perhaps she and Mr. Kringle had a misunderstanding at the time of his arrest that caused an escalation in the tension and she does not wish to press charges though I have urged her to do so. Therefore, I do not intend to pursue the other charges. Should the reindeer be returned to protective custody that may change, but right now I urge you to make a decision and bring this case to a conclusion."


	15. Chapter 14: A Fine Solution

Risenfromash: Yes, I am pun-ishing you with the title of this chapter, but at least it isn't a pun on Phoenix's name. I've already done that once this story.

CHAPTER 14- A Fine Solution

"Polly, is this good?"  
"Well, if they drop the animal abuse charges and the attempted assault charges that got tacked on there after Ema testified, it's great news. Then he won't have to go back to jail."

"Oh, really, Polly? That's great!"

"But he will owe a fine and I don't know if Kris has money."

"How much money?"

"More than we've got. I'm guessing somewhere between five hundred and twenty-five hundred dollars."

Trucy eyes boggled.

"I know, but we'll take it. It'll keep him out of jail and we can probably find a way to get his record cleared so he won't be haunted by all this."

Trucy waved her hand to indicate that Apollo should hush up. "Oh, Polly, he's going to say something!"

"I believe I have listened to sufficient evidence to pronounce judgment."

"Cross your fingers," whispered Apollo to his friend.

"On the counts of animal abuse, animal neglect, assault, intent to break and enter, and racketeering I find the defendant not guilty."

"On the count of misuse of park space I find the defendant guilty as charged. Normally, my sentence would consist of both a fine and public service, but as has been shown Sant-er…Mr. Kringle already does many good works, therefore I will only require the payment of a fine in the amount of $1,000."

Fiona ran from the stand and hugged Trucy while reporters and spectators flooded the floor of the courtroom in celebration as though the home team had just won a championship basketball game.

Through the throng, Apollo approached Edgeworth as the older man closed his notebook and gathered his legal briefs.

"Prosecutor Edgeworth, thanks."

"I didn't do it for you," he said looking past the younger attorney. Apollo turned his head to follow the prosecutor's gaze and saw that he appeared to be watching Fiona and Trucy as they hopped gleefully up and down.

"Do you know who she is?" the older man asked gravely.

"Fiona?"

"That's a new name. She must have asked the state to change it. She was the victim in The State vs. Ruger."

Apollo gasped. The case was a legend in the field of child abuse law and was frequently referenced and studied in law school. It had been an exceedingly disturbing case. Edgeworth who had acted as the prosecutor had shown that while there had only been one victim in the case that was only because of the determination of a very young girl who would frequently hide her little brother sometimes for days at a time as a means of protecting him from their abuser, choosing to accept worse abuse herself than see her younger sibling beaten as well. The Demon Prosecutor had successfully pressured the judge to see that the parents were punished to the fullest extent of the law due to their intent to abuse both children.

Edgeworth sighed, "If that little girl believes in Santa Claus that's nothing short of a miracle. I may not seem it but even I have a heart."

Apollo looked away sheepishly. He had thought some awful things about his colleague. "Look, I'm sorry if anything I did-"

"You were only doing your job and now I must go and be admonished by my dear sister for failing to win such a cut and dry case."

"Well, you did win in a way."

Edgeworth's lips twitched in amusement. "You obviously have not yet made Franziska's acquaintance, and for your sake I hope that you never do," he said as he clipped the latch on his attaché case.

"Merry Christmas, Mr. Justice. Tell Wright that I appreciate the invitation, but that I have other things to attend to and I probably won't be able to make it this year."

Apollo nodded and headed out of the courtroom to join Mr. Kringle in what had turned into an impromptu press conference.

"Are you pleased with the outcome of today's trial, Mr. Justice?" asked a tall, African-American reporter with a massive microphone.

"Yes, I am," Apollo said awkwardly leaning into the foam-covered monstrosity.

"And, Mr. Kringle, how do you intend to pay the fine? Are you deducting it from the elves' pay?"

"Ho, ho, ho. No, nothing like that. Actually, I don't know how I'm going to pay for it. I don't have any savings. I'm like most people. I live pretty much hand to mouth."

Apollo and Trucy frowned. This wasn't good. Where would he be able to come up with a thousand dollars?

"Santa, you don't need to worry," a familiar voice from the back of the crowd said. "We'll just pass the hat."

"Daddy! You are here!" Trucy squealed as she saw the figure of Phoenix Wright step out from the swarm of people. He pulled off his brightly colored knit hat, reached into his pocket and took out a small wad of very crumpled and sorry looking bills and put them inside of it.

"Merry Christmas, Santa Claus," Phoenix said as he held the hat out for anyone who wished to take it.

Mr. Kringle smiled as he saw person after person reach into their wallets, pockets, or purse and put a little something into the brightly colored knit hat.

"Thank you, Apollo," the white haired man said as tears formed in his eyes. "God bless all of you."

Trucy ran to her father and wrapped her arms around him.

"You're so sweet, Daddy. You'd give the shirt off your own back to someone in need wouldn't you?"

Phoenix laughed. "I don't think anyone would want this shirt, sweetie."

"Don't be modest, Daddy!"

"Trucy, that money was supposed to be for a present for you. I'm sorry."

"I don't mind. Knowing Santa **is** ok is a present to me."

"I knew you'd say that. You've been watching way too many Christmas specials on T.V. I think I better cut you off. You're turning into a sentimental sap."

"Turning into one?" Apollo grunted. "I don't know about you, but she was like this when I met her."

~xxxx~

Word traveled fast that Mr. Kringle needed donations to pay his fine. As Edgeworth headed to his office he was approached by an extremely skinny clerk carrying an empty coffee can.

"Sir, I'm collecting donations to help Mr. Kringle pay his fine. Could you please help?" The young woman said thrusting the metal cylinder in his direction.

Miles snorted. Not only had he helped lessen the charges against the man, but now he was also expected to help pay his restitution? The thought amused him, but seemed fitting in an odd sort-of way. It **had** been a very strange case.

"No, thank you," he answered. "I'm sure Mr. Kringle and his friends will be creative enough to come up with the money without my assistance, but I believe there are some people at the end of the hall who might help." He pointed down the hallway and the woman's gaze followed his extended hand never once suspecting he was distracting her so he could slip money into the coffer without her realizing it.

As she walked away she made remarks under her breath about what a skinflint he was and the prosecutor smirked

"Can't have people thinking I'm going soft," he thought to himself with a chuckle as he began to ascend the stairwell to his office. "Besides, charity is best done in secret. I'm sure Kris Kringle would agree with that."


	16. Chapter 15: Two Kinds of Change

Risenfromash: I really, really wanted this title to have a clever pun, but I couldn't come up with one. So you don't have to groan this time.

CHAPTER 15- Two Kinds of Change

Soon a bustling throng at the courthouse surrounded Mr. Kringle with hastily collected containers of money. People had collected the money in hats, paper lunch sacks, coffee mugs, and whatever else they had handy.

"Look at all this!" Trucy exclaimed as she hurriedly started to sort the money. There was a lot of spare change, but there was also folding money and she could see a fifty-dollar bill poking out from the top of one of the coffee mugs.

"Oh, Polly! How much do you think is here? Do you think it could be enough?"

Apollo shrugged, "I dunno, but it looks like more is on the way." Coming down the hallway was another small army of strangers carrying what appeared to be more donations.

Mr. Kringle stood speechless, tears pooling in the corners of his wrinkle-rimmed eyes.

"You are too kind," he managed to croak out to the crowd.

"Trucy, where are we gonna put all this as we count it?"

She smiled, "We'll put it all in my magic panties!"

"You have them with you?"

"I never leave home without them. What kind of magician do you think I am?"

Cracking up, Apollo handed Trucy a wad of cash. "That's thirty-one dollars there. **You **can put it in your panties. I'm not going there."

Trucy swatted her friend's face with one hand while swiping the cash from his palm.

"Oh, Apollo, you're so funny. You know they aren't **actually** my panties."

"It doesn't matter. There are some things I won't do even for Santa Claus."

Mr. Wright who was standing nearby pulling handfuls of coins out of his hat laughed, "Good, Apollo. Keep it that way and we'll get along great."

"Oh, speaking of getting along," Apollo snickered, "Edgeworth wanted me to tell you that he won't be coming over for Christmas. I didn't even realize you had invited him."

Phoenix didn't say anything to acknowledge the young man's comment. Having finished emptying his favorite hat of its contents he replaced it upon his head and murmured to himself, "Not coming, huh? I wonder what Edgey is up to," and with a whimsical look on his face he disappeared into the crowd without saying so much as a "goodbye" or a "see ya later" to Trucy or Apollo.

Apollo looked up to tell his mentor something and discovered his absence and sighed. Phoenix had a way of coming and going unannounced that would annoy most people.

"Hey, Truce. I have a question."

"Umhum," she hummed as she dropped a handful of silver coins into her magic panties.

"Does Edgeworth usually come over at Christmas?"

Trucy didn't even look up. "No, I know him and Daddy used to be friends, but I don't think they've done stuff together in years."

Apollo gazed in the direction he imagined Mr. Wright had wandered off in.

"I wonder…"

"You wonder what, Polly?"

"Aw, it's nothing. Edgeworth just said something kinda weird, but it's probably just my imagination."

"Really what did he-Yuck! There's something sticky on this money," Trucy squawked completely forgetting about what she and Apollo had been talking about just a moment earlier.

"Oh, here give it to me. I'll just wipe it on my pants."

"Polly," Trucy laughed. "Just because Fiona said she liked Edgeworth's suit better doesn't mean-"

"Just give it to me, ok," grumbled the young attorney. "I like this suit because it's comfortable and easy to clean."

"Oh, do I sense some cravat envy?"

"Not on your life," he mumbled as he wiped the bills on his pants streaking his beloved red suit with something that looked like a slightly sticky powdery substance and an unidentified brown goo.

"Gross! I wish Ema were here to tell me this stuff isn't what it looks like."

"Oh, Polly! It isn't poo! I think it's probably just chocolate," Trucy said jotting down on his legal pad the total amount of money in her magic panties at the moment.

Apollo quit swiping the money and held it up. If the brown junk on the bill was chocolate then that powdery stuff was probably also a food substance. He didn't need forensics to recognize it now. It was the residue from someone's Snackooed fingers.

"Ema…" he thought to himself scanning the crowd desperately hoping he could see her and thank her for not pursuing assault charges against Mr. Kringle or at least that was how he was going to start the conversation. He knew he needed a plan so he didn't just stand there like a dork like he had earlier in the day, but she was nowhere to be seen.

~xxxx~

"Ms. Johnston?" The child advocate looked up from the coffee she was sipping at the courthouse café.

"I imagine that I may be the last person you wish to speak to at this time," Edgeworth began.

"You were only doing your job, as was I. I believe the kids need Santa almost as much as they need stable homes."

Edgeworth nodded. "That is, actually, what I wished to speak with you about. I find it most fortuitous that I happened to run into you."

"Oh?" Ms. Johnston said not hiding her surprise.

"You see, I feel a strange attraction…I'm sorry, that is an entirely inappropriate word given the circumstances. Let me start over. I feel a connection to the girl, er, young lady who testified."  
"Fiona?"

"Yes, I know that I don't seem the type, but you see she and I share some similarities. She reminds me of my little sister and I think…no, I know… I'd like to…" Miles Edgeworth had never felt so unsure of himself. He felt like he was a schoolboy asking a beautiful girl out to the prom. His voice trailed off. This was exactly what his sister would term foolishness. This was far too impulsive of him; he was allowing himself to get too emotionally involved.

Shelley said nothing and Miles Edgeworth filled the silence with some more rambling.

"You see. I realize that am a single male and therefore my intentions must seem suspicious, but I was an orphan myself. I don't know if you are aware of that, but after my father's untimely death I traveled to Germany and lived with an adoptive family and I have a little sister and…well, Fiona reminds me of her. For better or worse, they share a certain wisdom beyond their years. Let me guess, she doesn't get along particularly well with other children."

"She lacks some social skills and she is a loner. She prefers the company of adults to children and books to people, but she is quite artistic and, as she is more than happy to tell you, she is definitely extremely intelligent."

"She is obviously gifted."

Shelley stared into the eyes of the man before her. She had never met him before, but she knew of his reputation as a pretentious, heartless professional although at the moment he seemed very humble and genuine.

"Tell me. What happened to her little brother?"

"He was adopted. We attempted to place Fiona in the same home, but it wasn't a good fit for her. She sees him regularly, but due to some of her special needs we haven't been successful in finding her a family of her own yet. She masks her insecurities with a pretentiousness that rubs many people the wrong way."

"I understand. I have similar habits, believe it or not."

Shelley stifled a chuckle, "Oh, is that so? Is that how you rationalize calling a man like Kris a…what was it now…a 'mastermind of mischief' or was it 'mayhem'?"

Edgeworth bowed his head. He had said that to a reporter on his way into the courthouse. Why did he feel like he must do things like that? Would a person like that really be a good role model for a child, especially one who already had problems?

He was too messed up, too deeply troubled by his own issues and self-doubts. What had he been thinking? He stepped back ready to leave Ms. Johnston and leave the crazy idea behind him.

"How about you come by my office the day after Christmas and we can begin doing some paperwork," Shelley said.

Edgeworth raised his head and his face lit up.

"Here," he eagerly opened his brief case and handed Shelley an accordion style folder. "You'll find that I have numerous letters of reference, a copy of my background check, an evaluation by a psychiatrist-"

"But-"

"I understand you will have to repeat these things, but I had copies of all of them at my office and I wanted to assure you that I have the purest of intentions, for I have a special request. Do you think that I could perhaps spend Christmas morning with the child?"

"Well, I suppose…as long as you aren't unsupervised-"

"No, of course. I just…I want to give her a good Christmas and I wish to get to know her better as I believe I am on the cusp of a life altering decision."

Shelley's lips twitched in amusement. "Really, Prosecutor?"

"Yes."

"Fine. The kid's open their gifts from Santa at about 7am."

"And what time might Santa need some help?" And then as though needing justification he continued, "I understand that Mr. Kringle typically helps you throughout the days approaching Christmas and I thought you could perhaps use some extra help given this year's circumstances."

Ms. Johnston tipped her head.

"I'm a bit of an insomniac. I can get there early."

She smiled, "Fine. How bought you come at four thirty."

Egdeworth smiled and grabbed his attaché case. "Most excellent. I'll leave you to enjoy your coffee and I'll see you tomorrow. I look forward to it."

~xxxx~

In the dim light of the courthouse's parking garage, Edgeworth could make out the silhouette of a person leaning against his sports car.

"Hello, Wright. How'd I know you'd be here?"

Phoenix just smiled. "Well, you know I like to cheer you up after you lose."

Edgeworth grunted. "You mean rub my nose in it."

"You did a good thing. You know that, right?"

Edgeworth sighed. "I suppose." He was weary. Defeat was not a common thing for him, especially since Phoenix was disbarred.

"Apollo tells me you don't think you'll be coming by tonight or tomorrow. What you got going on? Big date?"

Edgeworth laughed in response. "Hardly."

A smirk graced the dark haired man's face. "You know adopting a little girl is a big responsibility."

Startled, Edgeworth found his clutch on his briefcase loosen and it fell from his hand hitting the concrete ground with a loud thud that echoed through the parking structure.

"How did you find out?"

"I just knew. It was written all over you in court. She reminds you of Franziska, doesn't she?"

The silver-haired attorney nodded. "I suppose you're going to try to talk me out of it."

"Nope. Quite the contrary. I think you should go for it."

"Really? But I don't know if I'm capable. I'm not exactly good with kids. I'm not, you know…warm."

"No kidding?" Phoenix laughed.

Edgeworth rolled his eyes.

"Look, Edgey, I did it. If I can do it you can."

Edgeworth teetered on the point of betraying all his insecurities and fears and Phoenix saw this. He leaned close to his friend, "Miles, you don't need to worry. Fiona will keep you in line and you've got me and Franny to help."

"Oh, God. Please, don't talk about Franziska. She's probably left me thirty voice messages by now chewing me out for letting Apollo win."

Phoenix Wright laughed. "Miles, it'll all be fine. I promise."

Edgeworth's eyes met his friend's, but he said nothing. Instead, he reached across Wright and opened the passenger's door of his Ferrari. "Where to, Wright?"

"How bout the mall? I need to get Maya a gift and a little bird told me Fiona is hoping for a copy of _Wuthering Heights_."

Playing the part of the good chauffeur, Edgeworth shut Wright's door in silence and then dashed around the back of the car and entered the driver's seat.

"Edgeworth, you really hoping they find those reindeer?"

"No," said Edgeworth sternly as he pealed out of the garage using all of the sports car's power.


	17. Chapter 16: A Traditional Christmas Eve

**Risenfromash**: In this chapter, I will attempt to create a new holiday tradition, Pizza Eve.

CHAPTER 16- A Traditional Christmas Eve

It took quite awhile for Trucy and Apollo to count all the money that was collected and get all the paperwork to the proper person, but eventually Mr. Kringle was freed and the two friends headed back to the Wright Anything Agency.

"So, where you suppose your dad went off to?"

"Oh, he's probably Christmas shopping or picking up the pizzas or something."

"Pizza?"

"The traditional Christmas Eve food."

"Of course," Apollo said wondering if Trucy knew that while it might be a **Wright **family tradition he was confident there was no such thing as a traditional Christmas Eve food, much less it being pizza.

"So, what'd you end up getting Ema for Christmas?"

Apollo sighed. "Well, I was going to-"

"Are you telling me you still don't have a present for her?"

"No. When was I supposed to go shopping? And I gave Kris most of the money I had."

"Well, tell her that's her gift."

"I don't want to do that."

"Daddy did that and it doesn't bother me. Honest."

"Yeah, but that's **you**."

"Polly, Ema's not petty. She's not going to hate you because you didn't get her an expensive gift."

"I know, but I've thought and said some pretty nasty things to her in the last few days."

Trucy nodded. "Ema isn't an easy person to love or even to like. She used to drive Daddy nuts from what I've heard. Of course, that may have been because she has the hots for Edgeworth."

Arriving back at the office, Apollo collapsed on the couch.

"What a day!"

Trucy giggled, "Saving Christmas is a lot of work, huh?"

"Thanks for all the help. I couldn't have done it without you."

"Don't be silly. I didn't do anything."

"Sure you didn't." Apollo said closing his eyes. "Anyways, I know I have a ton of stuff I should be doing, but I'm so tired."

Trucy nodded. "No problem, just take a nap and I'll wake you when the pizzas are done. You want extra olives right?"

Apollo nodded and then immediately dozed off.

~xxxx~

There was a knock at the door, but Apollo, exhausted from his most recent courtroom battle, wasn't even roused by the sound. Trucy ran to the door and flung it open with a cheery, "Merry Christmas!"

Standing at the door was a man that looked vaguely familiar to her, but she wasn't able to place him and she was fairly confident he had not been invited over for 'Pizza Eve' so she transitioned into her more professional mode and offered her usual spiel about the agency.

"Oh, hello. Can I help you? Here at the Wright Anything Agency we offer-"

The man shook his head. "I'm just delivering a bunch of boxes Shelley asked me to drop off on my way home."

"Oh!" Trucy exclaimed suddenly recalling where she had met the man. "You're the one who was on tamale duty the other night at the party."

The man smiled. "Yes, that's me. But tonight I'm playing delivery boy. You don't think you could help me carry this stuff in do you? It's not heavy. There's just a lot of it." Trucy did not need to be asked twice. She grabbed the man's hands and pulled him toward the front door of the office building, "Sure, where's the car? Oh, this is so exciting. What in the world would Shelley have sent us I wonder? I just love Christmas don't you? It's so exciting!"

~xxxx~

"Polly, wake up!" Apollo reluctantly opened his eyes and was met by Trucy's cheerful face hovering over him and the unmistakable smell of pizza cooking in the oven.

"Polly, you got something from Shelley."

Apollo yawned lazily and ran his hands through his hair. "Really? That's bizarre." He held out his hand expecting Trucy to put an envelope in it, but Trucy just giggled in response.

"No, Polly it's that pile of stuff over there."

Apollo bolted to an upright position. There were five cardboard boxes piled near the door. He had noticed them, but considering the Wrights were always cluttering up the apartment with junk they salvaged from God-knows-where he hadn't thought much of it.

"What the?"

Apollo walked over and found an envelope taped to the top of one of the boxes. He ripped it open with his thumb while Trucy danced around him.

_Dear Apollo,_

_ We had these cases of Snackoos donated for the children, but the kids refuse to eat them. One of the teens even said they taste like poop only he used a decidedly more 'colorful' term to describe his distaste for them so I've given up and was going to throw them out even though I felt __**terrible**__ about it, but Kris assured me that you could put them to good use and I think you've earned them. Merry Christmas!_

_Sincerely,_

Shelley Johnston

Apollo's eyes boggled. He ran to pull a letter opener from his desk and opened the top box. It was filled with snack size bags of Snackoos. He ran his hand over the packaging adoringly. He had more Snackoos than any store in town.

"Apollo, you developing the craving?" the low voice of a woman asked him.

Startled, Apollo looked up to find Ema standing in the doorway. She was not in her usual white lab coat. She appeared to have dressed up for the occasion and Apollo couldn't help but notice the way the garment hugged the curves of her hips.

Apollo stood there dumbfounded for a moment.

"No…uh…they're for you. They just got delivered."

"Really? How did you?"

Ema threw her arms around his shoulders. "Apollo, that's really sweet of you. I'm sorry about everything."

"Yeah, me, too. It's been a weird couple of days."

Trucy held her breath as she watched their lips come close to one another.

"I can't believe you did this for me! You must have had to go all over town! I couldn't find any anywhere. When did you find the time?"

Apollo Justice, his arms encircling the woman he loved, pulled his face back from hers. "Oh, it wasn't really like that. I-"

"Polly has connections! You know he's almost as famous as Klavier now that he's saved Christmas!" Trucy interrupted as she glared at Apollo with her best hurry-up-and-kiss-her look.

Ema smiled. "I bet. I can't believe you beat Edgeworth."

"I think he was having an off day," Apollo mumbled while glaring back at his perky assistant. "Hey, Ema how bought you take a seat and I'll grab us some pizza. It smells like it's about ready."

Apollo turned the corner into the kitchen and then hollered, "Truce, could you come here for a minute?"

The girl skipped into the kitchen expecting to help her friend with the food, but as soon as she disappeared from the sight of the living room Apollo gripped her shoulders. He was in a panic.

"Trucy! What am I gonna do?"

"What do you mean, what are you gonna do? You're gonna quit being a moron and you're going to kiss her. I don't want to have to move the mistletoe. You saw I positioned it in the entrance to the hallway. I figure it's a nice strategic location-"

Apollo rubbed his brow. "That's not the problem! She thinks I worked hard to get her those Snackoos as a gift when they just fell in my lap. I wasn't even awake."

"Oh, I think it's sweet that you're worried about that. But you earned those Snackoos. You volunteered at Children's Place and you defended Mr. Kringle and I asked him to help you out with Ema. He thinks you make a cute couple."

"Ugh," moaned the young attorney.

"Stomach cramp?" Phoenix asked stepping out of his bedroom and seeing Apollo in apparent agony.

"Oh, Polly's just upset because Kris got him a bunch of Snackoos to give Ema and Apollo seems to think that's cheating or something."

Mr. Wright smirked. "I don't think that constitutes cheating. I think that's what we call a Christmas miracle."

"Look, I need to go get her a real present. Keep her busy. Don't let her leave."

Trucy blinked. "Are you an idiot? She's totally into you."

"I know, but…this is something I gotta do myself."

"By leaving the girl you like? She looked like she was about to kiss you, you know?"

"Really?" Apollo's body wavered a little as though he might turn and run back to Ema's arms.

Phoenix laughed and put his hands on the young man's shoulders. "Remember this is something you want to do **yourself**."

"Right," Apollo said slowly peering out from around the corner of the kitchen.

"She looks nice doesn't she?"

Apollo nodded.

"Look, we'll keep her here for you," Phoenix said. "We'll make sure she doesn't get away."

"Yup. I'll just keep pulling stuff from my magic panties."

"Thanks."

Entering the living room, Apollo rambled a haphazardly concocted excuse about why he needed to leave and then said, "I'll be right back, ok, Ema?" and bolted for the door.

"O..k…" Ema said as she watched him dash out.

"What was that about?" Ema asked opening up one of the bags of Snackoos.

"Oh, you know Polly. He's cute and smart, but he's a little clueless sometimes."

Ema sighed and nodded. "So, Phoenix, where's my pizza? Isn't this Pizza Eve?"

~xxxx~

"Oh, crap!" Apollo stood in front of Bangles and Brooches and saw that the neon OPEN sign was turned off. He ran over to the window and peered in.

"Dammit!" He shouted inadvertently using his chords of steel. "I'm so stupid."

He heard a sound above him and a man appeared in a window of the apartment above the shop. The man opened the window and leaned out.

"Can I help you?"

"Oh, I'm so sorry, sir! I didn't mean to disturb you. Oh, God. I'm not usually like this. I must seem like a crazy person. I just-"

"Needing a last minute gift for someone special?"

Apollo crinkled his brow. "Wait, are you…?"

"Don't worry. I'll be right down."

A few moments later the man met Apollo at the door of the jewelry shop.

"Don't be embarrassed. Every year there is at least one procrastinator like you."

"You mean you hang out here for idiots like me?"

"No. I believe in doing nice things for people, but I'm not **that** nice. I live here."

"Oh, that's so…"

"Old-fashioned? I know, but ironically it works out very well in this economy. I split the upstairs into three apartments and the rent helps keep my store up and running."

"Well, thanks."

"Oh, it's ok. I got nowhere to be, really. So, what can I do for you?"

Walking over to the display case Apollo started to point at the necklace he had seen the day before, but then seeing it gone his body sagged. "Oh, I guess you sold it today. It was there yesterday…"

"What? The moonstone pendant?"

"Yeah. In that weird pattern."

"Oh, yes. I just sold it about a half hour before I closed."

"Figures."

"What was it you liked about that one?"

"I dunno. It just looked like her…she likes science…and stuff…it reminded me of planets or atoms."

The man smiled. "You are very perceptive. That particular designer says that she is inspired by the stars. I do have some other pieces by her. Maybe one of them would interest you."

Walking behind a counter he pulled out a silver ring with one stone and concentric circles.

"Wow."

"I know. It's a lovely piece, but I must not have had it displayed well enough, because it didn't sell. I thought for sure it would. Perhaps your lady would like it."

Apollo nodded, but he still felt nervous. This was a pretty tremendous purchase to give someone you hadn't even had the nerve to ask out yet.

"Is something wrong?" the jeweler asked.

"Well, a ring…"

"Has certain connotations," he supplied.

"Yeah, and we're you know…not like that…yet."

The jeweler nodded. "I understand, maybe a bracelet then."

He pulled from the case a silver chain. It was undeniably pretty, but Apollo kept looking at the ring. It was so Ema's style.

"Oh, well. I probably can't afford it anyway," Apollo thought to himself.

"Don't let yourself feel rushed. I know it's a major purchase. I'm just going to turn on the T.V." The jeweler flicked on the television and the sounds of the Gavinners permeated the store.

"Oh, God. It's still this crap," complained the old man.

Apollo laughed. "Klavier is playing until he raises ten million dollars."

"Klavier?"

"The blonde with the guitar. He's a friend of mine."

"Oh, I'm sorry," the grey haired man said obviously embarrassed that he had insulted a friend of a customer.

"Oh, no problem. I can't stand his music either."

"Wait. You know him?"

"Yeah, he's a friend of mine. Well, sort of…we work together. Honestly, he kind of drives me nuts, but-"

"Do you know him well enough to get his autograph?"

Apollo laughed. "I probably have his John Hancock on a thousand papers back at my office, but I could get you a signed photo easy. He **loves** giving the things out."

The man's eyes had grown large. "Really?"

"I thought you weren't a fan," Apollo teased.

"I'm not, but my granddaughter is. She's insane over him."

"Don't feel bad. I'm sure she'll grow out of it at some point," Apollo laughed. "My friend, Trucy, is wild about him, too."

"Tell you what. What kind of discount could I get if I got the Gavinners to play a concert just for your granddaughter?"

"You could do that?"

"Sure," Apollo smiled as he pulled his cell phone from his pocket. "I have connections and I have speed dial, but if I do this you think I could maybe get that ring with the blue stone in the window, too?"

~xxxx~

Apollo sat across from Ema on the couch nervously fumbling with something in his pocket.

"Look, before I give this to you I want you to understand that I got a deal on it…I kind of pulled some strings…I couldn't have done it on my own…I really wanted to, but…and there's no expectation…and the Snackoos were really from Shelley because Kris suggested she give them to me because the kids at the-"

"Apollo, just give me my damn gift, ok?"

"Oh, yeah, sorry."

Ema set aside her bag of Snackoos and carefully slid the ribbon off the box. Seeing the ring she let out a little gasp.

"Apollo!"

Apollo prepared himself for the scolding or slapping that was about to come. Guys didn't buy girls rings as their first present. It just wasn't done.

"Apollo, I love it. Thank you," and then she threw her arms around his neck. "It's beautiful."

"Look, I know you can't be bought. I just saw it and I thought of you and-"

"Apollo, you're not on the witness stand."

"Oh, sorry. I'm just really nervous. And I didn't want to give you a ring because I know that's weird, but some a-hole bought the necklace I wanted to buy for you right before I got there and-"

"Some a-hole, huh?" Ema asked leaning toward him.

"Yeah, it sucks. It would have looked great on you. It was all sciencey and-"

Ema laughed. "You may be perceptive, but you have the observation skills of a rock, scientifically speaking."

"What?"

"Apollo look at my neck."

Apollo's eyes nervously lowered themselves to her neck an area he had been carefully avoiding since her blouse was rather low cut and he didn't want her to get the wrong idea.

"**You** bought it!"

Ema laughed. "You can take back that asshole comment now."

Apollo blushed and ran his spikey bangs through his hands. "Uh, yeah, about that…I didn't mean-"

But his words were silenced by Ema's lips mashing into his and for the first time ever he found himself enjoying the artificial flavoring of Snackoos.

Pulling herself from Apollo's lips she said, "Hey, you wanna CRUNCH go out sometime, Apollo?"

Apollo smiled. "I'd like that."

"Good CRUNCH cause it's your present."

There was a pause.

"Just kidding. Scientifically speaking it would have been odd for me to not get you a gift since I even got Klavier one." She curled her lip in distaste. "I almost wish people would quit donating so he could never return to work."

"Oh, you don't mean that."

"I dunno. CRUNCH. He's so infuriating. He just keeps asking me out and I keep telling him I'm not interested."

"You aren't?"

"Of course not. You didn't honestly think I have the same taste as all those freakin' teenyboppers did you? Scientifically speaking the Gavinners would not be nearly as popular were it not for the high level of hormones in the blood streams of fangirls."

"True. But you need to be nice for Klavier. It's only cause of him I could afford that ring."

"Oh? CRUNCH"

"I used my connections. The Gavinners will be making an appearance at a certain jeweler's grandchild's birthday party."

"Well, here's my gift for you. It's not very fancy."

"It better not be a cravat."

"Don't worry, it's not. Though that would be kinda hot."

Apollo rolled his eyes. It was going to take some getting used to to be dating a woman with the hots for one of his courtroom rivals.

In the box was a pair of very nice leather gloves.

"I know you and Trucy walk in all kinds of weather and I thought-"

"Thanks, Ema. It's really sweet."

Apollo leaned in to give Ema a kiss when he heard Phoenix shout from the other room.

"Apollo Justice, why did you give my underage daughter a ring? Trucy what is going on! I object!"


End file.
